Taiwanese boss of Ho Chi Minh City restaurant indicted for prostitution brokerage for foreigners

Chen Ci Fu, the owner of KTV Richy 7 in Him Lam residential area, was taken into custody on Tuesday on charges of prostitution brokerage, according to the city’s Department of Public Security.

Three others were also arrested and indicted on the same charges, including Taiwanese manager Chen Hung Kai and two Vietnamese employees, Nguyen Thi Thuy Phuong and Nguyen Thi Thuy Kieu.

The arrests were made following a period of observation that led authorities to carry out raids on nearby hotels and apartments, where several young female employees of KTV Richy 7 were caught having sex with clients.

The women told police they had been instructed by Chen to provide sexual services only to foreign guests of the restaurant.

Investigators said Chen had recruited seven attractive women and allegedly arranged for them to remain sexually available to foreign clients.

Phuong and Kieu acted as intermediaries, introducing the women to clients and facilitating the transactions.

Prices for these services reportedly ranged from VND5 million to VND8 million, or about US$190 to $303, per session.

During a search of the restaurant, police also seized over 750 canisters of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, and other tools.

Authorities believe the operation brought in hundreds of millions of dong in illegal revenue. One million dong is equivalent to about $38.

Vu Thi Loan, another manager at KTV Richy 7, oversaw the laughing gas business under Chen’s direction.

Police said they have now completed procedures to press charges against both Chen and Loan for trading in banned goods.