Exposing the lavish lifestyle of online gangsters.

From videos preaching morality…

Not only has Trinh Xuan Truong appeared numerous times in livestreams by online gangsters, but he has also impressed many with his "rugged" appearance, numerous tattoos, large gold chains and bracelets, baseball cap, sunglasses, and stylish mustache. On social media, Truong always portrays himself as having a bohemian lifestyle and, in particular, a luxurious life that seems to disregard money.

Trinh Xuan Truong (born in 1972), originally from Nam Hoa hamlet, Xuan Tan commune, Xuan Truong district (Nam Dinh province), is often known by the nickname Truong "the younger".

Besides that, Truong "the younger" is also known by many other names such as "The King of Freeloading," "The Golden Chopsticks of Freeloading," etc. These nicknames were given to Truong "the younger" by other online gangsters. Truong "the younger" got these nicknames because he once invited over a dozen friends and "gangsters" to a lavish restaurant party. However, when it came time to pay, Truong claimed he'd forgotten his money and asked his friends to pay for him. Although Truong "the younger" explained it was just a joke, the nickname stuck with him for a long time and became so famous that whenever Truong "the younger" is mentioned, netizens immediately think of... freeloading.

To gain notoriety in the online community, Truong didn't shy away from verbal sparring and threats with other notorious online gangsters at the time. In particular, Trinh Xuan Truong frequently posted videos about moral lessons. Through numerous livestreams, Truong often preached ethics, declaring that he would never use drugs, saying things like, "I just want to tell you guys one thing: You can do anything, but don't do crystal meth, marijuana, ecstasy, or ketamine. Never get addicted. It will ruin your mind, you won't be clear-headed anymore. I don't use it, I just throw it away." Because of this, Truong emerged as a new phenomenon, attracting a large number of followers and idols.

Not only that, Truong "the younger" also frequently posts controversial videos on social media, boasting about earning 50-60 million VND per month and living a life where money is not a concern.

At that time, Truong "the younger" repeatedly introduced his lover as Nguyen Thi Phuong (born in 1986), residing in Hamlet 5, Quynh Hong Commune, Quynh Luu District, Nghe An Province.

Having experienced a failed marriage, Truong always shared his desire for a warm family home, calling it "a small meal, a big happiness." Therefore, when he met Nguyen Thi Phuong—a woman who had also been married before—Truong realized she was the "love of his life."

Truong repeatedly declared, "I may not be rich, but I will give you a happy life," and he didn't care what society said. Truong left his hometown and moved to Nghe An, renting a room to live with Nguyen Thi Phuong as husband and wife. Since publicly introducing Phuong to the online community, Truong "con" has frequently shared his luxurious lifestyle with his girlfriend.

However, it was only when Truong "the younger" was finally arrested for transporting drugs for profit that many fans learned the true nature of this online gangster idol.

Taking his mistress along to transport the "goods"

From the beginning of December 2019, the Drug Crime Investigation Department of the Nghe An Provincial Police discovered a drug trafficking ring operating from the mountainous districts of Nghe An province to Vinh City, and then distributing the drugs to other provinces and cities for consumption. This drug ring had numerous branches scattered across several provinces and cities, making it extremely difficult to track down the suspects.

Through investigative techniques, the investigators determined that the drugs were typically purchased from Laos and transported across the border into Nghe An province, from where they would be distributed to other provinces and cities. Based on several clues indicating that the suspects would be carrying out a "transaction," the Drug Crime Investigation Department immediately coordinated with the Tuong Duong District Police to apprehend them.

At approximately 3:00 AM on January 3, 2020, in the Muoi Mac village area, Lang Khe commune, Con Cuong district (Nghe An province), law enforcement officers spotted a suspicious vehicle and signaled it to stop. At that time, the vehicle contained Nguyen Thi Phuong, Trinh Xuan Truong, and Pham Ly Vu Duy (born in 1984), residing in Bac Lieu province.

As soon as they were flagged down by the authorities, Phuong, fearing arrest, urged Duy to drive away. Following Phuong's instructions, Duy sped up and drove off, causing a collision with a police vehicle from Tuong Duong district, severely damaging both vehicles. At that moment, Phuong lowered the window and threw the evidence out of the car in an attempt to dispose of it.

To ensure the safety of the arresting officers and the residents near the area, the task force fired warning shots into the air, then shot out all four tires of the vehicle. However, the suspects stubbornly continued driving for another 700 meters before stopping. When the suspects opened the car doors to escape, they were apprehended and arrested by the police. The seized evidence included 1 kg of ketamine and a white pickup truck.

At the police station, the suspects confessed to all their crimes. Initially, Phuong admitted that she received a phone call from an unknown person offering to buy 1kg of drugs for 280 million VND. Seeing the huge profit, Phuong persuaded her lover to buy the drugs to resell for profit.

A fitting end for the lovers.

In late August 2020, the People's Court of Nghe An province held a first-instance trial to hear the case against Trinh Xuan Truong, his mistress Nguyen Thi Phuong, and Pham Ly Vu Duy. Both Truong and Phuong were prosecuted for "illegally trading narcotics." Nguyen Thi Phuong was prosecuted as the ringleader, while Trinh Xuan Truong was charged with actively assisting in the illegal drug trafficking. Pham Ly Vu Duy was prosecuted for "resisting public officials."

At the trial, no relatives of Truong were present because both his parents were ill. Truong "the younger" was the eldest of three brothers. Although given the opportunity to study, Truong did not study properly but instead followed his friends into a life of partying and reckless behavior. Therefore, by the time he was in 8th grade, Truong had dropped out of school and followed his friends to work in various places.

After unsuccessful attempts to start a business in both the South and the North, Truong returned to his hometown to borrow money from his parents. However, he ended up burdening his elderly parents with an additional debt of over 200 million dong. At the trial, Truong confessed that he participated because his lover invited him, out of respect for her, but he was not the mastermind behind the crime. Duy was hired by Phuong to drive but was unaware that Phuong was going to pick up drugs. At the time of the pursuit, Duy panicked due to Phuong's instigation and drove recklessly, causing the incident.

It is known that defendant Nguyen Thi Phuong had previously been tried twice for drug-related offenses. The defendants admitted their crimes, confessed honestly, and showed remorse. When given the opportunity to speak their final words, Trinh Xuan Truong hoped the court would consider mitigating circumstances not only for himself but also for his lover, so that he could return to the community and "start a new life."

Considering the role of each defendant in the case, the Judges' Panel of the Nghe An Provincial People's Court sentenced Nguyen Thi Phuong to life imprisonment, Trinh Xuan Truong to 20 years in prison for "Illegal trafficking of narcotics," and Pham Ly Vu Duy to 2 years in prison for "Resisting public officials."