Following reports suggesting that Bao had been arrested in connection with drug trafficking, the VBF Executive Committee held an online meeting on Friday, with 25 out of 30 members in attendance. The committee stated that there was no reliable evidence to support these claims and only acknowledged that Bao had traveled to the U.S. in February due to family matters.
His return to Vietnam had been delayed due to ongoing personal issues, the committee said.
“VBF has not received any official notification from the relevant authorities regarding the personal activities of president Luu Tu Bao, either in the past or during his absence from Vietnam,” it said.
The federation also clarified that Bao’s background and judicial record had been verified by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism before his election to the VBF Executive Committee for the second term.
The VBF confirmed that vice president and general secretary, Nguyen Duy Hung, would temporarily manage the federation’s activities in the absence of Bao until March 2026.
Should an official ruling be made indicating that Bao has violated the law, the VBF Executive Committee would hold a conference to request permission to elect a new president.
Bao, 49, has over a decade of experience in developing boxing and martial arts in Vietnam. He has served as the president of VBF since Oct. 15, 2023, and is also the president of the Ho Chi Minh City Mixed Martial Arts Federation (HMMAF) and executive director of Saigon Sports Club (SSC), one of the earliest professional boxing clubs in the country. In 2023, he was awarded an honorary belt by the WBA Asia for his contributions to the sport.
In June, a report from San Francisco Public Safety News revealed that a man named “Bao Luu”, matching Bao’s identity, was arrested in California in April. He appeared in federal court in San Francisco due to an extradition request from Australia, where he faces accusations of leading a transnational criminal syndicate involved in drug trafficking from Vietnam.
At the San Francisco trial, Bao Luu’s defense attorney, Jay Rorty, argued that his client, a U.S. citizen, had been arrested upon entering the country to attend his child’s funeral. He also stated that there was no solid evidence to support the accusations from Australia.
Judge Thomas Hixson ordered Bao Luu to be detained and scheduled a hearing for Aug. 28, 2025. An extradition hearing has been set for Jan. 29, 2026, after the court receives the complete documentation from Australia. If extradited and convicted, Bao Luu could face a life sentence.