On the morning of November 29, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court announced the verdict of the first-instance trial of the case that occurred at Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited.
The People's Court sentenced defendant Mai Thi Hong Hanh (Director and Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Xuyen Viet Oil) to 19 years in prison for violating regulations on management and use of state assets causing loss and waste and 11 years in prison for bribery. The total sentence is 30 years in prison. At the same time, the defendant is banned from operating in the petroleum business for 2 years.
Defendant Nguyen Thi Nhu Phuong (former Deputy Director of Xuyen Viet Oil) was sentenced to 6 years in prison for violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste.
Defendant Mai Thi Hong Hanh.
According to the indictment, Ms. Mai Thi Hong Hanh is the legal representative, Director and Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Xuyen Viet Oil Company. During the process of operating the petroleum business at the Company, taking advantage of her position and authority, Ms. Hanh violated regulations on management and use of the Price Stabilization Fund and environmental protection money, causing a loss of state assets of VND 1,463 billion. Of which, the loss from the Price Stabilization Fund was VND 219 billion, the loss from environmental protection tax was VND 1,244 billion.
Specifically, Ms. Hanh did not direct her staff to set aside money for the Price Stabilization Fund according to regulations, but instead directed her subordinates to transfer money into her personal account.
After that, Ms. Hanh used this money to buy, lend to friends, spend on personal expenses, and bribe some individuals at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, etc.
Regarding the collection, management and transfer of environmental protection tax, Ms. Hanh intentionally used the collected money for personal purposes without transferring the money to the State budget.
In total, Ms. Hanh gave bribes 22 times with a total amount of more than 31 billion VND to 8 individuals. Of which, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai received 1.1 billion VND to help Xuyen Viet Oil Company reissue export and import business licenses for key traders and those directly in charge of them that were about to expire.
As for the former Secretary of Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee, Mr. Le Duc Tho was accused of receiving bribes of more than 13 billion VND, taking advantage of his position and power to influence others to gain profits of more than 22 billion VND.
Specifically, since 2018, Mai Thi Hong Hanh has known Mr. Le Duc Tho because Xuyen Viet Oil Company has a credit relationship with the bank where Mr. Tho is the Chairman. Ms. Hanh asked Mr. Tho to help provide a credit limit and extend the credit limit maintenance period for Xuyen Viet Oil.
With the act of Abusing position and power to influence others for personal gain, the indictment determined that in 2021, Mr. Tho was transferred and assigned to hold the position of Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee.
To enhance his own reputation, Mr. Tho suggested that Mai Thi Hong Hanh establish a branch or subsidiary of Xuyen Viet Oil in Ben Tre to pay taxes to increase the province's budget revenue. In return, this company will be facilitated to implement real estate, seaport, and tourism projects in the locality.
After establishing Viet Oil Joint Stock Company in Ben Tre (Viet Oil Company), the former Secretary repeatedly used his position to influence and facilitate Viet Oil Company in production and business activities.
The People's Court sentenced defendant Le Duc Tho (former Secretary of Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee) to 15 years in prison for accepting bribes and 13 years in prison for taking advantage of his position and power to influence others for personal gain. The total sentence is 28 years in prison.
The group of defendants sentenced for the crime of Accepting bribes were sentenced to: Defendant Do Thang Hai (former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade) 3 years in prison; Tran Duy Dong (former Head of the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade) 7 years in prison.
Hoang Anh Tuan (former Deputy Director of the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade) was sentenced to 7 years in prison; Le Duy Minh (former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department) to 6 years in prison.
Phan Kien Anh (former Director of Nghi Son Oil Refinery Product Distribution Branch) and Nguyen Loc An (former Deputy Director of the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade) were each sentenced to 4 years in prison; Dang Cong Khoi (former Deputy Director of the Price Management Department, Ministry of Finance) was sentenced to 2 years in prison.
The group of defendants was sentenced for Bribery: Nguyen Van Thang (former Deputy Director of Hanoi branch - Xuyen Viet Oil) 4 years in prison;
Dong Xuan Dung (freelance worker) and Vu Trung Thanh (former Director of Vietinbank Thanh Xuan branch) were both sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison but given suspended sentences;
Dinh Tien Dung (former accountant of Xuyen Viet Oil Company) and Nguyen Tan Long (former Head of Sales Department of Xuyen Viet Oil) were both sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison, but the sentence was suspended.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/ba-trum-xuyen-viet-oil-lanh-30-nam-tu-ar910277.html
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