The Hoàng Hường Scandal: Exaggerated Claims of Miracle Cures, Flaunted Wealth, and Arrogant Online Behavior

The Art of Hype and the Multi-Level Marketing Empire

Born in 1987 in Phu Tho, Hoang Thi Huong began her entrepreneurial journey with the Confident Smile dental chain in Hanoi. The chain quickly gained attention, not only through its extensive media coverage but also due to its exaggerated advertising claims. In 2019, the Hanoi Department of Health revoked the license of one of its facilities for failing to meet staffing requirements and altering infrastructure without proper approval. However, this setback was brief, as Huong soon expanded into functional foods, cosmetics, and health care products.

In August 2021, Hoang Huong Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company was established with a registered capital of 6 billion VND. The name “Hoang Huong” began to dominate platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. The ecosystem introduced a wide range of products targeting common consumer concerns: mouthwash, joint supplements, blood circulation pills, Crilin Women Health virgin lily pills, sexual health products, weight loss supplements, beauty cosmetics, dental care, detox drinks, and hair, skin, and nail products. Each item was marketed by Huong as a “miracle cure,” promising to resolve chronic ailments.

Notably, Huong once claimed, “I can cure all joint issues from head to toe. Within 1-2 weeks, 50-60% of symptoms will improve, and even severe cases will be resolved within 2 months.” For her mouthwash, she asserted it could “treat bad breath from past lives to the present.” When promoting Crilin Women Health virgin lily pills, she stated they were “recognized by the World Scientific Council.” These claims sparked intense controversy due to their lack of scientific basis.

Huong also introduced “product combos” packaged as comprehensive solutions: “From oral health to digestion, from joints to sexual wellness.” Some packages cost tens of millions of VND but were purchased by thousands after just a few livestreams. This strategy transformed her health care network into a “golden goose” with 18 companies, 25 business households, and 44 individuals under her umbrella.

Noisy Livestreams, Flashy Wealth Displays, and Shocking Statements

To build trust and enhance her reputation, Huong opted for flashy livestreams. Her broadcasts attracted thousands, even tens of thousands of viewers. During these sessions, she not only promoted products but also flaunted her wealth: a spacious mansion, stacks of cash, luxury cars, diamonds, and gold.

In one instance, Huong threw money from the second floor for employees to collect; in another, she smashed a giant piggy bank filled with 500,000 VND bills for Tet gifts, using a money counter for effect. For Tet 2025, an image of a table piled high with thick stacks of cash for employee gifts went viral, creating an impression of immense wealth.

Huong also staged videos of herself walking on piles of money, sparking outrage. On social media, she frequently showcased land deeds, gold, diamonds, and luxury cars to prove her affluence. These displays convinced many of her status as a “true tycoon,” making it easier to persuade customers to trust her products.

Additionally, Huong employed a “spend without hesitation” tactic to assert her credibility. A customer appreciation event costing 7 billion VND drew 4,000 attendees, rivaling showbiz events in grandeur. Her fan page regularly announced giveaways: “Win cars, SH motorcycles, gold, and 100% cashback,” but many customers reported never seeing anyone claim these prizes.

What stirred public outrage most were Huong’s shocking statements. During a livestream in Ha Giang, she referred to men men, a Mong specialty, as “pig feed” and called street vendors “beggars.”

Alongside her flashy displays and product promotions, Huong cultivated an image of a frequent philanthropist. She appeared in relief efforts in Nghe An, Quang Binh, and Ha Giang, donating money and supplies to struggling families. On social media, she maintained a dedicated channel for charity updates, occasionally claiming to use her own funds without soliciting donations, even stating she “distributed everything equally, keeping nothing for herself.”

However, her charity efforts often intertwined with livestreams, where she promoted products like joint milk amidst relief efforts, pledging to donate proceeds from each purchase. This overlap divided public opinion: some acknowledged her generosity, while others criticized her for exploiting situations to boost her image and sales.

On October 3, 2025, the Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Agency initiated a case, charging six individuals, including Hoang Huong, with “Violating accounting regulations with serious consequences.” Two brothers-in-law and three close employees were also detained.

Investigations revealed that from January 2021 to June 2025, Huong omitted nearly 1.8 trillion VND in revenue from accounting records and falsely declared VAT on approximately 2.1 trillion VND in revenue. She was accused of directing employees to allocate revenue to individual business households to evade taxes.

During questioning, Huong admitted, “I focused solely on sales and promotions, leaving operations, finance, and accounting to my team.” However, she added, “Regardless of the reasons, as the system’s leader, I must take responsibility, due to my incompetence in not addressing these issues.”

Huong’s case exemplifies the “entrepreneurial KOL” phenomenon in the social media era, where individuals sell not only products but also their image and opulence to build trust. Products like mouthwash, joint supplements, blood circulation pills, sexual health supplements, weight loss aids, and beauty items are commonplace, but Huong inflated their value through livestream skills and marketing tactics.