HANOI: A Vietnamese court sentenced former beauty queen Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien to two years in jail for falsely promoting gummies as fibre-rich on social media.
State media VnExpress reported the judges found Tien guilty of deceiving customers, knowing the candy’s fibre content was only 0.935%.
She promoted Kera Supergreens Gummies with fellow influencers Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc, who also received two-year sentences.
The court stated they “committed the offense intentionally and gained a large illicit profit, so strict punishment is necessary”.
Tien held a 30% stake in the joint venture with a company established by the other two influencers.
Last December, they promoted the product as a healthy candy containing the equivalent of a plate of vegetables per gummy.
Investigators revealed the gummies contained over 30% sorbitol, an artificial sweetener with laxative effects, plus undisclosed additives.
More than 129,000 packs were sold to over 56,000 customers, generating over USD 650,000 in revenue.
The three influencers netted a USD 473,000 profit from the scheme.
Tien gained popularity after winning the Bangkok-based Miss Grand International beauty competition in 2021.
She previously received a certificate of merit from Vietnam’s prime minister for her achievements.
