Thai Thien Phuong case: Ex-mother-in-law pays for her crimes and receives punishment

\In February 2023, public opinion across Asia was shocked by the news that model Thai Thien Phuong died in a controversial case of being murdered and cooked by her ex-husband's family in Hong Kong.

The incident quickly attracted international media attention because it involved many complicated details and people close to the victim.

After more than two years of investigation and trial, the court on October 28, 2025 issued a verdict against Thai Thien Phuong's ex-mother-in-law - Ms. Ly Thuy Huong, partially closing the case that had shocked public opinion.

According to information from Hong Kong police, after the incident was discovered, authorities arrested 7 suspects on various charges, including concealing criminals and obstructing law enforcement.

In this group, the model’s ex-husband’s family is considered the main suspect group. Ms. Ly Thuy Huong - mother of Quang Cang Tri (Thai Thien Phuong’s ex-husband) - was prosecuted for providing false information and intentionally obstructing the investigation.

The trial results showed that, between February 22 and 23, 2023, when she knew her son was wanted, Ms. Ly Thuy Huong repeatedly gave false statements to mislead the police. She is said to have provided an incorrect address and secretly informed her son to help him hide. This behavior made the investigation process difficult, slowing down the collection of evidence and verifying related witnesses.

Notably, at the time Thai Thien Phuong went missing, Ms. Ly Thuy Huong and her son were still living in an apartment owned by the female model. Although the two had a close relationship, after the incident, Ms. Huong tried to conceal information, even contacting Thai Thien Phuong's mother - Ms. Truong Yen Hoa - to request that her son's whereabouts not be revealed. According to the investigation records, during the time Quang Cang Tri was on the run, the mother and son contacted each other 127 times.

During the trial, Ms. Ly Thuy Huong admitted that she had received a monthly allowance from Thai Thien Phuong, approximately more than 50 thousand dollars, to take care of her nephews. Although divorced since 2017, Thai Thien Phuong still maintained a good relationship with her ex-husband's family and regularly supported them financially as well as raising their children. This made the case even more regrettable in the eyes of the public, when the person who had helped her was implicated in her incident.

In court, the defense attorney argued that the defendant acted solely out of maternal love and because she loved her child so much, she made a momentary mistake. The attorney asked the court to consider and reduce the sentence, proposing a sentence of less than 6 months in prison. However, the judge rejected this request, stating that Ms. Ly Thuy Huong's actions could not be considered a spontaneous emotion, but a deliberate act, seriously affecting the investigation process and the reputation of the judicial system.

The judge stressed that deliberately providing false information and concealing criminals is a serious violation of Hong Kong law and requires a deterrent sentence. The court therefore sentenced Ms. Lee Swee-hung to 18 months in prison for deceiving and obstructing the police. This sentence is considered a strong warning to those who deliberately conceal criminals and demonstrates the determination of the judiciary to protect the strictness of the law.

Previously, Ms. Huong was detained for 15 months and was released on bail in May 2024 while awaiting trial. Meanwhile, Quang Cang Tri, his father and brother are still being detained to serve the legal process, expected to be tried in the next phase.

Thai Thien Phuong's mother-in-law spent billions on bail, and on the day she was released from prison, her attitude was controversial Thảo Mai10:03:23 22/05/2024As one of the main suspects in the Thai Thien Phuong case, Ms. Ly Thuy Huong - the ill-fated model's ex-mother-in-law was released on bail after 15 months of detention. However, she is still prohibited from leaving her residence and reporting to the police three times a week.