Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, a 26-year-old Vietnamese beauty queen and social media star, has been arrested in connection with a misleading health product she promoted online. The product, called Kera Supergreens, was marketed as a high-fiber gummy that could boost health — but it turned out to be little more than a laxative.
Thuy Tien, who won the Miss Grand International 2021 pageant, had claimed that each gummy contained as much fiber as a plate of vegetables. Her endorsement helped the product become popular across Vietnam. However, tests later showed that the gummies contained less than 1% fiber, far below the advertised 28%. Instead, they were packed with sorbitol, a sweetener known to act as a laxative.
Vietnamese police arrested Tien on Monday as part of a wider investigation into the misleading product. She had already been fined earlier for not revealing that she was paid to promote the gummies. Two other influencers involved in promoting the same product — Hang Du Muc and Pham Quang Linh — were also arrested.
Tien was not just a promoter — she owned 30% of the company that made and sold the gummies, called Chi Em Rot Group. Thanks to her promotion, the company sold 135,000 boxes to over 30,000 customers, earning about £490,000 in total revenue. Reports say Tien personally earned around £200,000 from the sales.
Tien had been widely admired in Vietnam, with 2.8 million Instagram followers and recognition from the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union as an “outstanding young figure in the arts.” She also modeled for big brands like Dior and acted in films and music videos.
But the scandal — now being called “Gummie-gate” by Vietnamese media — has badly damaged her reputation. Critics have pointed out that Tien and her fellow influencers built trust by appearing to genuinely care about the products, often visiting farms and factories in promotional videos.
Vietnamese writer Tran Khanh An commented: “They presented themselves as more than just influencers — they looked like they truly believed in the product and its benefits. That’s why the public trusted them.”
The investigation is still ongoing, and more details about the scandal are expected to emerge soon.
