15 jailed for running South Korean prostitution service in HCMC

Kim Kyung Don, 42, was sentenced to 5.5 years in jail for “procuring prostituton” by Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on Wednesday, while 10 others received between two and 3.5 years in jail for the same charge.

Four other Vietnamese received between 2.5 and three years in jail for “harboring prostitutes.”

Prosecutors said Don was the manager of the Masters-King Club restaurant in District 3, which collaborated with hotels to hook customers up with sex workers.

To attract customers, Don told his female staff to prostitute themselves. He also hired four other South Koreans to manage and advertise his business online.

Customers had to pay between VND2 million ($88.61) and VND4 million for the service. The ring had gained several billions of Vietnamese dong for their illegal activities. All their customers were South Koreans.

In court, Don said he wasn’t the only one running the ring and was only hired to do so for VND100 million a month. Despite his insistence, the court found him guilty.