Noise in the lawsuit over a debt of 1.5 billion VND
In May 2019, Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was accused by Ms. Dang Thuy Trang (sister of Miss Ocean Dang Thu Thao) of borrowing 1.5 billion VND since 2017 but not paying it back.
Ms. Trang said that this amount of money was given to Thuy Tien to serve the Miss South contest, with a commitment to pay after winning the title. However, Ms. Trang repeatedly asked for the debt and could not get the money back.
On the contrary, Thuy Tien completely denied the accusation, affirming that she did not receive any money, and at the same time denounced Ms. Trang for slander, affecting her personal reputation. The incident has lasted for many years, causing controversy in public opinion.
In May 2023, the People's Court of Go Vap District (HCMC) rejected Ms. Dang Thuy Trang's lawsuit and declared that Thuy Tien was not obliged to repay the debt. The court also requested the plaintiff to compensate Ms. Thuy Tien with VND 387.6 million for the material and spiritual losses caused to her.
Regarding the act of tearing up debt documents that shocked public opinion, Thuy Tien later admitted that it was an act that broke out while losing her cool. She publicly apologized and said that it was a profound lesson in how to handle the media crisis.
Remove the title of Miss Grand International 2021 from your personal page
In June 2023, Thuy Tien suddenly deleted the title of Miss Grand International 2021 from the description on her personal page, causing a stir in the online community. This action was considered "lacking in thought" by the President of the Miss Grand Organization, Mr. Nawat Itsaragrisil.
After that, Mr. Nawat, Vice President Teresa and some organizers unfollowed Thuy Tien on social media.
In response to the wave of criticism, Thuy Tien spoke up to explain that she simply wanted to update her biography based on personal emotions, and had not had time to edit it due to her busy work schedule. She admitted her mistake, admitted that this action was unreasonable and caused unnecessary misunderstandings.
At the same time, Thuy Tien affirmed that she always cherishes the title of Miss Grand International 2021 and has never intended to participate in any other beauty contest. She considers this title a milestone that changed her life and expressed her gratitude for the journey she has gone through.
After receiving feedback from the Organizing Committee, Thuy Tien restored her title on her personal page. She also apologized to Mr. Nawat and the Miss Grand International Organization, hoping that the incident would end in goodness.
Controversy over master's degree in Switzerland
In early 2025, Thuy Tien attracted attention when announcing that she had completed her master's program in Restaurant - Hotel Management at SHMS (Swiss Hotel Management School), a famous training institution in the field of tourism and hospitality in Switzerland.
However, this information was skeptical from some netizens. Many people believe that SHMS is not a vedential university according to the traditional definition. Some netizens also questioned the authenticity of the learning process, saying that the program could only take place online.
Controversy also arose from the school's name not having the phrase "University", leading to suspicions that Thuy Tien intentionally exaggerated her degree. In the face of mixed opinions, Thuy Tien remained silent and did not speak out about the incident.
Prosecuted for involvement in Kera vegetable candy case
On May 19, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security prosecuted and temporarily detained Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien on the charge of "deceiving customers" in a case related to the production and distribution of fake food.
Thuy Tien was identified as the co-founder and contributor of 30% of the capital to the Kera vegetable and candy product of Chi Em rot Company, in cooperation with Asia Life Company. She and other individuals such as Nguyen Thi Thai Hang (Hang Du To) and Pham Quang Linh (Quang Linh Vlogs) were accused of advertising false information about the product's uses, even though the actual fiber content was only 0.935% - not meeting the standards as introduced.
4 other defendants in the case were prosecuted for the act of "producing counterfeit goods as food".
The investigation agency said that more than 135,000 boxes of candy were consumed, with a revenue of nearly 18 billion VND, of which Thuy Tien received about 7 billion VND in commissions.
Previously, in December 2024, Thuy Tien introduced to the audience a "brainchild" as a candy with a high fiber content, nutritious, and many certifications of quality, suitable for children and adults. However, when taken for testing at the National Institute of Qualitative Measurement, the result was that a box of 30- vien candy only had 0.51 grams of fiber, too little compared to advertisements.
This caused Thuy Tien to lose points seriously in the public eye. Not long after, Hang Du Muc and Quang Linh Vlogs, along with the company's representatives, held a press conference to clarify the noise related to this vegetable candy. According to the representative, Thuy Tien is only a KOL, promoting the product, not holding any other role with this brand.
Notably, the investigation agency discovered that when the incident caused controversy at the end of February 2025, Thuy Tien proposed to change her role from a shareholder to an advertising partner to reduce legal liability. This behavior is considered intentional legalization to conceal violations.
