Many YouTubers begin their journey with noble intentions, fueled by a passion for sharing their creativity, knowledge, or unique perspectives with the world. However, as their channels grow, they often find themselves entangled in a web of drama, scandals, and monetary issues. The pressure to constantly produce engaging content can lead to burnout, while the allure of monetization can sometimes compromise their original vision. Additionally, the rise in popularity often attracts a mix of supportive followers and toxic fans, making it challenging to navigate the fine line between staying true to oneself and catering to an ever-demanding audience. However, one YouTuber in particular, has gone from being a so called “Activist” to nothing more than an online bully.
Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh
FIA first became aquainted with Quỳnh when we first started following the case of the Tinh That Bong Lai temple. At that time, Quỳnh had a YouTube channel that supported the temple and she was highly critical of the Vietnamese government. Quỳnh, once a political prisoner herself was held in a Vietnamese prison for her activism against the Vietnamese government. She developed a loyal group of followers on her channel and she was a vocal figure in support of the temple elders. However, during this time, there were others both in the U.S. and Vietnam who believed the temple elders were guilty of the charges brought against them causing a divide in the community. Those who supported the government’s position would actively seek out and attack individuals who not only supported the temple, but in one case, even an orphan of the temple itself. It was also during this time that the Vietnamese government was cracking down on dissidents and those advocating for human rights within Vietnam. Many activists in Vietnam were being imprisoned and (or) harassed. This brought even more attention and focus to the temple and Quỳnh.
The Lawsuit that Divided the Community
In Late 2022, and early 2023, one of the temple orphans was attacked online by the anti-temple members, and accused of taking money for himself. Quỳnh decided to help this fellow YouTuber and convinced her followers to donate money in order to file a lawsuit against the members defaming him. Over $80,000.00 was raised and a lawsuit was filed early 2024 in Harris County Texas. Many of the members who donated money kept trying to get a status of the case as everyone was interested what the outcome would be. Not only that, but the members who donated money wanted to know exactly how the money was spent. All valid questions, but Quỳnh was silent about exactly how the money was being spent and some of her followers began demanding their money be returned. Unfortunately, the lawyers drained the money. At $600 per hour the money goes fast. With the lack of information being provided to the supporters of the lawsuit, many of them began to feel betrayed about the money and how it was being spent. Subsequently, they began to lose support for Quỳnh, and quit following her on her YouTube channel.
Quỳnh Goes On the Attack
As the donors of the lawsuit began to lose faith, Quỳnh began to start personally attacking those who had donated large sums of money to the lawsuit. Quỳnh started referring to one of the donors as “the short whore” who we will refer to as ABC. What Quỳnh failed to tell everyone was that Quỳnh herself borrowed money from ABC. Quỳnh told ABC she needed the money for a car. Quỳnh told another follower that it was for Quỳnh’s father in Vietnam. However, Quỳnh stated on her YouTube channel that it was to “test” ABC. To test what? ABC’s loyalty? Friendship? What type of person borrows money to “test” someone? What’s even more disturbing is that one of Quỳnh’s followers GAVE Quỳnh the money to repay ABC. When the follower asked Quỳnh when she was going to repay ABC, Quỳnh said she was going to repay ABC at the original agreed upon time, even though Quỳnh had the money to repay much sooner. What Quỳnh failed to tell her followers, is that this ABC and ABC’s friends had donated $12,000.00 to the lawsuit.
Quỳnh also turned her online activities to attacking another YouTuber by posting the YouTuber’s photo into her own live stream and overlay images of dildos on the woman’s face. This utterly vile and obscene act caused many of Quỳnh’s followers to question Quỳnh’s ethics and morality as an “activist”. Many started recognizing Quỳnh as a bully who would stop at nothing to degrade and humiliate others.
Quỳnh was very close to one of her followers who we will call “Sister”, because that is what Quỳnh herself called this follower. However the Sister became uneasy about Quỳnh’s actions following the “dildo” incident, and decided to step back from Quỳnh and the lawsuit. During this time, the “Sister” started observing Quỳnh’s actions and behavior towards her followers. Sister became very disillusioned by this so called “Activist” she once admired. Sister then decided to observe the followers of both sides. Sister did not pick a side but rather watched from the sidelines.
It's "Us" Verses "Them"
At first, the YouTube community was divided in the case of the temple and it’s practioners. As time progressed, the divide became more about those who supported Quỳnh and those who did not. Sister decided that she would go on YouTube herself and answer why she removed herself as Tu’s power of attorney. Sister live streamed several shows, and explain why she withdrew as Tu’s authorized representative (power of attorney). She never attacked or defamed anyone, and made it clear that she was not there to engage in the drama. Because the lawsuit is still an active case, there is only so much Sister can disclose about it. What is strange however, is that nobody on Quỳnh’s side has stepped up to take over that responsibility of being Tu’s power of attorney. Despite this, it appears that Quỳnh felt threatened by Sister’s actions because Quỳnh immediately turned around and posted confidential conversations on her YouTube channel that she had with Sister over the past year. Although this showed Sister in a bad light, it proves that Quỳnh will stop at nothing to humiliate those that she feels threatened by. And for what? If Quỳnh can do that to one of her closest friends, she will do that to anyone. In Quỳnh’s world, you are only a friend if you support everything she says and does without question. If you question her, she will turn on you faster than you can imagine.
The Many Lies of Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh
People who need to build themself up to look better are called narcissists. Sometimes they do this by trying to impress people by saying they drive a certain type of car, or are dating a doctor, lawyer, or even an airline pilot. Quỳnh is the definition of narcissist. If you sing her praises or shower her with gifts, or write songs for or about her, she will be your best friend. But once you have a disagreement with Quỳnh, she will stab you in the back. She will post your personal conversations you’ve had with her, humiliate you with photos, and share the personal details of your life with her followers, and will even threaten to sue you. Like so many others, we at FIA admired Quỳnh. We believed in her cause and the lawsuit. But like so many others who have blindly followed her, the truth will eventually reveal itself. When you start peeling back the layers of the onion, you will see what is truly underneath.
Where Do We Go From Here?
To many observers and followers, this drama is just their daily entertainment. If the people truly cared about the lawsuit, someone would have immediately taken up the responsibility of Tu’s power of attorney. But many fear that if they do, Quỳnh will do the same thing to them as she did to ABC, Sister, and many other of her follower’s. Quỳnh has destroyed her credibility. She has disgraced the word “Activist”, and what is much sadder than all of this, is that she has lost the trust, loyalty, and friendship of some very good people, not only in the U.S., but Vietnam as well. As an “activist” you must place place yourself above petty quarreling and fights. You must always pursue what’s “good” and “just”. Attacking others, gossiping, posting disgusting photos, revealing private conversations are all the signs of an insecure individual who must resort to personal attacks when they know they’re wrong. We hope that one day Quỳnh will see the light of righteousness.
It’s almost laughable. As Quỳnh continues her attacks on Facebook and YouTube, she gives Daniel Tran more and more ammunition to counter-sue!!