Before the multi-billion online gambling scandal was exposed in the media, not many people knew who Nguyen Van Duong was. However, after the arrest of Phan Sao Nam and the dismantling of the gambling ring, Duong’s name became well-known among the Vietnamese population.
Apart from Phan Sao Nam, Nguyen Van Duong was the second mastermind behind the multi-billion gambling operation that involved officials from the C50 division of the Ministry of Public Security. Duong played a significant role in the case as he connected General Hai with Phan Sao Nam and facilitated the operation of two gambling websites in Vietnam.
Nguyen Van Duong, born in 1975, previously held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of UDIC Investment Corporation. This company was involved in the investment of the Bac Giang – Lang Son expressway construction project and was one of the four major companies in the BOT project with substantial capital. However, at that time, Duong was not the representative of the company but had delegated the responsibility to Nguyen Huu Dung.
When news of Nguyen Van Duong’s arrest broke, many online gamblers and concerned individuals sought information about this prominent figure in the case. One aspect that garnered significant attention was Duong’s residence and whether he lived in a luxury villa reserved for the wealthy. According to the investigation, Nguyen Van Duong currently resides in Dong Da District, Hanoi, and owns two high-end apartments in Hai Ba Trung District. However, it was revealed that Duong’s assets were not substantial compared to the significant damages he caused. His wife had to sell the two apartments to compensate for the consequences of Duong’s actions.
Following the news of the multi-billion gambling case, Nguyen Van Duong quickly gained attention due to his influential background. Specifically, he is the second son-in-law of former Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, Pham Quang Nghi. This information significantly impacted the entire family of Duong’s wife. However, Pham Quang Nghi affirmed that he and his son-in-law were not involved in the gambling case. Duong’s wife, a successful and beautiful businesswoman, swiftly mitigated the consequences and has been supporting the family since her husband’s conviction. As for Duong’s biological parents, information about his family background remains confidential and undisclosed. Therefore, there are many speculations about Duong’s true family background as a protégé of the former Secretary of Hanoi.
Before getting entangled in the legal proceedings, Nguyen Van Duong was the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of CNC High-Tech Investment and Development LLC. This company was established in 2011 and obtained a license for online intermediary payment services in 2017. Prior to founding CNC, Duong also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of UDIC Investment Corporation, a company involved in a joint venture for the Bac Giang – Lang Son nguyen van duong expressway project. UDIC’s capital contribution in the project reached the highest proportion of 38%, equivalent to 491 billion Vietnamese Dong. However, in March 2017, the Ministry of Transport decided to terminate UDIC’s restructuring plan, leading to the company’s withdrawal from the expressway project. At that time, Nguyen Van Duong left UDIC and became the leader of CNC alongside Vu Kim Ha. If Duong had not ventured into the online payment sector, he might have avoided getting involved in legal troubles later on.