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The founder of a motorcycle-store chain in Ho Chi Minh City, Bùi Văn Tân (born 1983), is accused of deceiving customers and embezzling a large sum of money. The case involves alleged fraud carried out through multiple companies and motorcycle shops in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong between 2018 and December 2023. The trial is expected to continue until April 24.
In late 2021, Tân allegedly identified a loophole in motorcycle management. At some shops, export-quality check vouchers were reportedly no longer required for certain vehicles. According to the case, Tân then planned to purchase genuine export vouchers to legitimize motorcycles with unclear origins.
Investigators allege that Tân spent about 15 billion VND to buy approximately 1,500 export vouchers from Nguyễn Đình Sùng, Nguyễn Sỹ Toàn, and Nguyễn Thị Kiều Oanh. He also allegedly purchased used motorcycles without paperwork from Lê Văn Tới, at prices ranging from 7–22 million VND per vehicle.
To legalize the vehicles, Tân allegedly arranged a process to alter technical specifications. Vehicles with unclear origins were brought to his shop, license plates were removed, and some parts were dismantled before being sent to the repair shop Đại Phát, run by Nguyễn Hữu Oai.
At Đại Phát, investigators allege that Oai and Nguyễn Hữu Như used specialized equipment to grind away the original frame and engine numbers. Based on information from the export vouchers provided by accountant Nguyễn Ngọc Thúy, the suspects allegedly engraved new frame and engine numbers to match the paperwork.
After the engraving work, the suspects allegedly cleaned the engravings, carried out “carve-and-mash” (cà số), and kept the forged numbers in the vehicle’s trunk for later registration.
After being altered, the vehicles were allegedly brought back to the Tan Tiến shop for cleaning, refurbishment, and parts replacement, and were presented as new. Tân allegedly directed staff to photograph the vehicles and post them on social media as “100% new.”
Customers were reportedly charged for “100% new” motorcycles but allegedly received used vehicles with forged identification. During transactions, customers were reportedly assisted with registration and license plate issuance through intermediaries. Investigators say the use of real export vouchers and matching numbers made the fraud difficult to detect.
Investigators determined that Tân and accomplices embezzled more than 15 billion VND from at least 392 victims, equivalent to about 26% of the export vouchers purchased. During search operations, authorities reportedly uncovered hundreds of motorcycles, many with frame and engine numbers ground off and prepared for sale.
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