Da Nang police are investigating a case that began with 28 newly released iPhones leaving Mobile World stores and ended with the money allegedly being wiped out in Bitcoin and online gambling. The suspect, Tran Ba Truong, was temporarily detained for suspected fraud and embezzlement.
The case has drawn attention because investigators say the suspect used his position inside The Gioi Di Dong, also known as Mobile World, to move goods out of the retail system in stages. What first appeared to be a small internal misuse later expanded into a broader scheme involving other employees and payment manipulation.
How the first loss unfolded
Police said that on 5 and 6 May, Truong took 28 newly launched iPhones by using his access as an employee. He then sold the devices outside the company’s system and used the proceeds for personal purposes.
That first batch became the starting point for a larger pattern. After the initial sales, Truong allegedly widened the method and began coordinating with other staff members in the store network.
Fake payments and OTP theft
According to investigators, Truong contacted several employees in the Mobile World system and falsely told them that customers were in the middle of transactions. After sales orders were created, he asked that QR codes on the invoices be sent to the customers for payment.
Once the QR codes were available, Truong used the company’s sales account to scan them himself. That made the transactions appear legitimate in the system even though the payment did not come from any customer.
When the sales account reached its transaction limit, investigators say he switched tactics again. He reportedly stole OTP codes from other employees to access and use payment accounts, allowing the scheme to continue.
The total rose to 84 phones
Police connected the same pattern to the theft of 56 additional phones from different Mobile World stores in Da Nang. Combined with the original 28 iPhones, the total number of mobile phones linked to the case reached 84 units.
Investigators also said the proceeds did not last long. The money from those sales was allegedly poured into Bitcoin investment and online gambling, and eventually all of it was lost.
Recovered items and ongoing search
So far, the Da Nang City Police Investigation Unit has tracked down and recovered three of the phones connected to the case. The search for the remaining assets is still under way as officers work to return property to the affected victims.
The case highlights how internal access and transaction manipulation can turn into major losses for a retail chain. Da Nang police are continuing their investigation to trace the remaining goods and map the flow of assets involved in the case.