Vietnamese American Tran Nhuan Gia, or Wong Danny Gia, in a courtroom in Ho Chi Minh City, June 18, 2026. Photo: Ngoc Lan / Tuoi Tre

In addition to 52-year-old Tran Nhuan Gia, or Wong Danny Gia, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court sentenced six accomplices to prison terms of more than 10 years each for their roles in the trafficking of children under the age of 16 during the trial on Thursday.

Accordingly, Doan Le Quoc Huy, 27, got a 12-year sentence.

Another defendant, 31-year-old Tran Thi Cam Tu, was sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison for child trafficking and forging documents issued by state agencies.

Four other defendants were also convicted of child trafficking, with Le Thi Dieu Lien and Nguyen Thi Huyen Tran, both 27, each receiving 12-year prison terms, and Nguyen Thi Hong Tham, 27, and Vo Thi Hong, 22, sentenced to 11 years each.

According to court records, Gia befriended Huy while staying in Vietnam.

The pair allegedly used Facebook to search for women who had recently given birth but lacked the means to raise their children.

Investigators found that Gia intended to purchase the children, obtain fraudulent documents, and bring them to the United States.

From 2023 to May 2024, Gia adopted three children.

He purchased one child from a woman identified as Huynh Thi Dung for VND40 million (US$1,520), another from Tran Thi Kim Hoang for VND45 million ($1,710), and a third from Le Thi Cam Binh for the same amount.

The transactions were facilitated through a Facebook group called ‘Cho Nhan Con Nuoi 2’ (Giving and Receiving Adopted Children 2), where Tu, Lien, Tham and Tran acted as intermediaries.

As foreign nationals face legal restrictions when adopting Vietnamese children, Gia sought to legitimize the transactions and avoid detection by obtaining forged documents.

He purchased a falsified birth certificate for one child through Facebook and later enlisted Tu to create a fake DNA test report claiming a biological relationship between himself and another child.

Officers discovered that Gia transferred money to Tu with a note indicating it was a deposit for obtaining a birth certificate for one of the children.

However, he was arrested before receiving the document.

Huy played a supporting role by gathering information, transferring payments, and transporting the children to Gia’s residence.

He earned VND20 million ($760) from the scheme.

Investigators found that Tu, Lien, Tham, and Tran were responsible for locating children under 16 and approaching mothers facing financial hardship.

They negotiated prices with the mothers and then sought buyers willing to pay more, getting illegal profits.

The group successfully persuaded several women, including Vo Thi Thuy Giang, Tran Thi Kim Hoang, Nguyen Ngoc Bich, and Le Thi Cam Binh, to participate in the transactions.

According to court findings, Tu was involved in four cases and earned more than VND14 million ($530).

Lien and Tran each participated in two cases and earned about VND15 million ($570), while Tham made more than VND25 million ($950) from two transactions.

Hong pocketed VND15 million from one case.

The case came to light on May 22, 2024, when Ho Chi Minh City police received a report that Gia was caring for several children of unclear identity in his apartment.

Officers inspected the residence and found the children along with two caregivers.

During questioning, both Gia and Huy admitted their involvement in the scheme.

The trial panel described the defendants’ actions as particularly serious, noting that they posed a significant danger to society and directly infringed upon the rights and welfare of children.

The court said severe penalties were necessary to deter similar crimes and promote public awareness.