Vietnamese authorities have officially indicted two men accused of running Fmovies, one of the largest piracy networks in the world before its shutdown in 2024. The indictment sheds light on how the men met, their motivations for launching Fmovies, and the site’s financial structure. While Hollywood previously celebrated the takedown as a major victory, emerging details suggest the case is far from straightforward.
Hollywood’s Ongoing Battle Against Piracy
For decades, Hollywood has fought against the illicit distribution of its content, investing heavily in anti-piracy initiatives. The Motion Picture Association (MPA) hailed the 2024 shutdown of Fmovies as a “stunning victory” for the creative industry. However, despite years of investigative efforts, questions remain about the true impact of this takedown.
Arrests and Legal Ambiguities
Following the site’s shutdown, Vietnamese law enforcement arrested Phan Thanh Cong (34) and Nguyen Tuan Anh (34), who both resided in Hanoi. Authorities allege that Cong was the mastermind behind Fmovies, handling programming, site management, and finances, while Tuan Anh was responsible for acquiring pirated movie content.
At first glance, their arrest and prosecution appeared to be a major breakthrough in anti-piracy enforcement. Compared to previous failed attempts—such as the case against Phimmoi, which collapsed after years of legal battles—this seemed like real progress. However, the MPA remains cautious, questioning whether the punishments will serve as a strong enough deterrent.
MPA Pushes for a Harsh Sentence
Given the unprecedented scale of Fmovies’ operations, the MPA has urged Vietnamese authorities to impose severe penalties. The numbers are staggering: the site garnered 6.7 billion visits in just one year, with a sustained traffic rate of 70 to 130 million visits per month over multiple years.
Despite this massive reach, authorities estimate Fmovies’ total earnings at approximately $400,000—a surprisingly low figure for such a dominant piracy platform. This raises concerns about whether the financial damage has been accurately assessed.
The Origins of Fmovies: A School Project Turned Global Enterprise
According to the indictment, Cong and Tuan Anh met in 2015 while studying at ApTech vocational school. Their initial goal was to create a movie website targeting international audiences. Tuan Anh sourced movies—often storing them on Google Drive—while Cong managed the technical aspects and monetization.
Revenue came primarily from advertising, with MGID Advertising Company acting as the main partner. Investigators claim Cong received 90% of the profits, while Tuan Anh took home just 10%.
Discrepancies in Financial and Legal Assessments
A major point of contention in the case is the valuation of damages. Prosecutors have built their indictment around only 30 films, despite Fmovies hosting thousands over its eight-year lifespan. Even within that limited scope, only 13 movies had official distribution costs calculated in Vietnam.
Without a more comprehensive assessment, legal experts worry that any sentencing could fail to reflect the true scale of Fmovies’ impact. In similar cases, weak financial estimates have led to unexpectedly lenient penalties.
A Shutdown Driven by an Unpaid Server Bill?
One of the most surprising revelations is how Fmovies ultimately went offline—not due to a major enforcement operation but simply because Cong allegedly failed to pay a server bill, marking the first lapse in payments since 2016.
This minor oversight carries major implications. In past cases, courts have reduced sentences when operators returned illicit earnings. Reports suggest that both Cong and Tuan Anh have already repaid their Fmovies earnings, raising the possibility of a more lenient punishment.
Possible Links to Legal Streaming Platforms
Adding another layer of complexity, investigative footage has revealed documents suggesting that some of the movies cited in the Fmovies indictment were also allegedly distributed without authorization by Vietnamese streaming services such as Galaxy Play and ITB TV LTD. This raises broader questions about copyright enforcement in Vietnam and whether authorities will take action against other platforms engaged in questionable distribution practices.
A “Victory” With Unresolved Questions
While the Fmovies shutdown was initially celebrated as a major milestone in Hollywood’s fight against piracy, uncertainties continue to cloud the case. The discrepancies in revenue assessments, the potential for lenient sentencing, and unresolved questions about Vietnam’s legal framework all contribute to an incomplete picture.
As the case moves forward, industry experts will be watching closely to see whether this prosecution sets a precedent for future anti-piracy enforcement—or if it ultimately reveals the limitations of Hollywood’s legal battles abroad.