Vietnam police charge seven suspects in AI livestream fraud that duped 40,000 users

In Nghe An Province, police have initiated legal action against seven individuals accused of operating the Tatao Live AI livestream platform, charging them with money laundering and illegal use of computer networks. The ring, led by foreign nationals, established two companies in June 2025 and promoted the app as an AI-driven retail ecosystem, claiming partnerships with major e-commerce sites. Users purchased AI packages costing from VND2.9 million to VND418.9 million and were shown short videos before the system credited modest daily earnings to their in-app wallets.

After an initial week of payouts, withdrawals stopped, leaving participants unable to access their funds. Investigators say around 40,000 Vietnamese accounts were created, with total payments of VND407 billion, of which over VND220 billion was siphoned off, while authorities have seized more than VND8.6 billion.