The Hanoi People’s Procuracy in Vietnam has issued an indictment against two men accused of operating the massive Fmovies piracy network, which was shut down in 2024. The indictment provides insights into how the two men met, how their plans for Fmovies took shape, and the site’s revenue streams. While the Motion Picture Association (MPA) previously described the takedown as a “stunning victory,” new revelations raise more questions than answers.
Hollywood’s Battle Against Piracy
For decades, Hollywood has produced some of the most iconic films ever made, telling compelling stories across genres. While movies create worlds where the impossible becomes reality, the MPA demonstrated in 2024 that with persistence, even seemingly insurmountable challenges—like dismantling a global piracy empire—can be overcome.
The shutdown of Fmovies was hailed as a significant win for the entertainment industry, with the MPA calling it “a stunning victory for casts, crews, writers, directors, studios, and the creative community across the globe.” However, despite years of investigative work, the abrupt collapse of one of the world’s largest piracy networks remains shrouded in mystery.
Arrests, Prosecutions, and Legal Uncertainty
Following the shutdown, Vietnamese authorities arrested two men: alleged “mastermind, leader, creator, operator, and manager” Phan Thanh Cong (34) and his assistant Nguyen Tuan Anh (34). Both resided in Capitaland, Mo Lao ward, Ha Dong district, Hanoi.
At first glance, two arrests, two confessions, and a November 2024 announcement confirming two prosecutions appeared to be a significant achievement for the MPA. Compared to a previous case against the operator of Phimmoi—which dragged on for years before ultimately collapsing—this seemed like progress.
However, the MPA’s enthusiasm appears tempered. While the shutdown itself receives recognition, the organization has expressed concerns about Vietnam’s legal landscape and whether the sentences will be a sufficient deterrent.
Calls for a Sentence That Matches the Crime
In the Fmovies case, the MPA has pushed for a punishment that reflects “the unprecedented scale of the criminal activity.” The numbers are staggering: 6.7 billion visits in a single year, with an additional three years of traffic ranging from 70 to 130 million visits per month.
The indictment traces the roots of Fmovies back to 2015.
The Birth of Fmovies: A Plan Hatched in School
According to the indictment, Phan Thanh Cong and Nguyen Tuan Anh met at vocational school ApTech in 2015. They allegedly planned to launch a website specializing in foreign films to attract an international audience.
Nguyen Tuan Anh was responsible for content acquisition—primarily movies—stored on Google Drive accounts. Meanwhile, Phan Thanh Cong handled programming, management, advertising, and finances. He reportedly took 90% of the earnings, leaving just 10% for his partner.
The Money Trail: A Single Revenue Source?
The indictment highlights a single revenue stream: advertisements displayed before users could watch movies. The primary advertising partner was an overseas company, MGID Advertising Company.
Investigators concluded that since August 2016, Phan Thanh Cong received approximately US$400,000. While this may seem substantial, it’s a fraction of what might be expected from such a large operation.
Discrepancies in Damage Estimates
Despite the site’s extensive library, the indictment focuses on only 30 movies, significantly downplaying the potential financial impact.
Authorities estimate the total benefit received from Fmovies at approximately US$400,000, with Cong receiving around US$14,300 and Tuan Anh just US$1,600—figures that seem strikingly low given the scale of the operation.
Further complicating matters, only 13 of the 30 films were assessed for distribution rights costs in Vietnam. The MPA did not provide further data, meaning damages may ultimately be calculated based on just 17 films—ignoring thousands of titles that Fmovies offered over its eight-year run.
A Surprisingly Low-Key Shutdown
When Fmovies went offline in mid-2024, authorities revealed that the cause was surprisingly mundane: Cong simply failed to pay the server bill—the first time since 2016.
While seemingly trivial, this detail has broader implications. In a similar case involving illegal IPTV sales prosecuted by the Premier League, the defendant avoided prison by repaying all illicit earnings.
The indictment suggests that both Cong and Tuan Anh have already returned their alleged earnings from Fmovies. If this factor influences sentencing as it did in the Premier League case, the MPA’s hopes for a strict punishment may be dashed.
Unanswered Questions and Hidden Agendas?
In many international cases, legal documents remain inaccessible, making reporting difficult. However, in Vietnam, police-released videos provide glimpses of documents on desks and in officers’ hands.
One such document, visible in a police video last year, contained no reference to Fmovies but mentioned a copyright complaint involving Vietnamese streaming platform Galaxy Play in early 2024. It appears that 17 of the movies cited in the indictment were also allegedly distributed illegally on platforms such as Galaxy Play, Vietnam Satellite Digital Television, and ITB TV LTD, with damages estimated at over VND920 million.
A “Stunning Victory” With Lingering Doubts
When the Fmovies takedown was announced, Hollywood declared victory. But as the case unfolds, uncertainties remain. With unanswered questions, conflicting numbers, and a legal system that could favor leniency, the true impact of this prosecution is still unclear.
