TikTok star Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan, known as Ngan 98, stands outside the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety holding the supplements she sold. Photo from Ngan’s Facebook
The Ho Chi Minh City Police arrested Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan, known as Ngan 98, on Monday for allegedly selling “fake” weight-loss and “collagen” pills containing dangerous banned substances after more than four months of investigation.
Forensic tests conducted at Ministry of Public Security laboratories found that the collagen capsules were counterfeit and contained banned substances such as sibutramine and phenolphthalein, chemicals that can cause cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, digestive issues, and possibly even cancers.
The products were claimed to be manufactured at a Good Manufacturing Practices-certified factory in Hanoi’s Dan Phuong Industrial Cluster. ZuBu Trading and Service Company Ltd in Ho Chi Minh City (officially directed by Ngan’s mother) and ZuBu Shop (linked to Ngan but legally registered under another person’s name) were responsible for product quality and distribution.
During questioning, Ngan had said she was unfamiliar with legal procedures and trusted the manufacturer “because they claimed to have the necessary connections to secure permits and quality inspections [for the collagen capsules].” Ngan insisted she did not know the products violated the law and relied on the “documents and certification” provided by the manufacturer.
The goods were shipped from Hanoi to her company in Ho Chi Minh City, and she sold them because she “trusted them,” she said.
“The manufacturer sent the certification directly to my mother. I asked my mother to sign it, and she sent it back to them.”
She added that her husband, singer and songwriter Luong Bang Quang, occasionally assisted with her business.
But the Ho Chi Minh City police described her testimony as “not honest, evasive and shifting blame to others to avoid responsibility.”
Authorities determined that Ngan founded and operated both ZuBu Company and ZuBu Shop, directly overseeing all operations, finances and business activities. Evidence from financial records, delivery data, production contracts, and employee testimonies confirmed that “Ngan was the main person, running the entire production and sale,” they said.
Investigators said collecting evidence has been challenging due to Ngan’s high-profile status and frequent travel to luxurious, private locations. When summoned, she “did not cooperate, yelled, and obstructed the process.”
The police are continuing the investigation nevertheless.
They said that since 2021 Ngan has been collaborating with several Hanoi producers to make health and weight-loss supplements such as Super Detox X3, X7 and X1000.
While the products are legally registered, Ngan used a “free gift” scheme to include the unlicensed “vegetable collagen capsules” that she gave buyers. She packaged them under the X3, X7 and X1000 brands, advertising them as enhancing weight-loss results when used together.
The collagen capsules were labeled “free gift, not for sale” to evade regulatory scrutiny, but customers effectively paid for them as part of supplement sets, which were sold for VND870,000–1.1 million (US$33–42).
Marketing materials promised weight loss results ranging from 4 to 15 kilograms per program.
Sales were routed through accounts belonging to Ngan’s relatives and employees to conceal the cash flows before being transferred to her personal account. The business generated hundreds of billions of dong in revenues between 2023 and 2024 alone, according to data.
Ngan first gained notoriety on social media for her provocative image and controversial statements. She entered the entertainment industry through livestreams, sensual imagery, and high-profile relationships, often wearing revealing attire, which led to fines.
Her online presence has been described as “polarizing,” attracting both large followings and criticism.
In addition to her public persona, Ngan modeled her own products and promoted herself as a businesswoman, branding herself the “CEO of ZuBu.”
In May, amid nationwide crackdowns on counterfeit products, her goods got flagged.
On May 21 the director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department for Food Safety, Pham Khanh Phong Lan, said the department had inspected the weight-loss products advertised and sold by Ngan after concerns about banned substances.
Before her detention she claimed on social media she had submitted all legal documentation to authorities, including product declarations, production contracts, test reports, invoices, production qualifications, and image usage contracts.
The case was “staged to damage her reputation,” she claimed.