In the case of Bribery, Receiving Bribes, Abusing Position and Power while Performing Official Duty that occurred in Lam Dong Province and some related localities, the Investigation Police Agency proposed to prosecute 10 defendants, including Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri (General Director of Saigon Dai Ninh Company - SGDN) for Bribery.

According to the investigation conclusion, Saigon Dai Ninh Tourism Investment Joint Stock Company, chaired by Ms. Phan Thi Hoa, is the owner of the Dai Ninh Urban Area for Trade, Tourism and Ecological Resort project with a total investment of VND 25,243 billion.

The Government Inspectorate determined that the project implementation process violated the Land Law and Investment Law, which is a case of land reclamation. In 2020, the Government Inspectorate assigned the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee to terminate the operation and reclaim the land of the Dai Ninh Project.

At that time, when he learned that the Dai Ninh Project was being proposed to be terminated and have its land reclaimed, Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri agreed to buy back the Dai Ninh Project from Ms. Phan Thi Hoa.

At the same time, Mr. Tri took advantage of relationships, used money and material benefits to connect and collude with individuals holding positions and powers in state management agencies (Government Office, Government Inspectorate, Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee of Lam Dong province) to "steer" and adjust decisions in handling violations and revoking the Dai Ninh Project for personal gain.

dai ninh 4 467 3318.jpg
Some unfinished architectural works in Dai Ninh Urban Area. Photo: Hoang Giam

The Investigation Agency determined that Mr. Tri colluded and influenced a number of individuals at the Government Office to commit illegal acts in: Receiving, processing, and resolving the Petition of SGDN Company; Advising the Government to agree with Report No. 715/BC-TTCP and Conclusion No. 1033/KL-TTCP of the Government Office in canceling the proposal to revoke the Dai Ninh Project.

Some individuals at the Government Inspectorate committed illegal acts in: Establishing a Working Group to inspect and verify the Petition of SGDN Company; Issuing Report No. 715 and Conclusion No. 1033 adjusting and amending Inspection Conclusion No. 929 to cancel the recommendation to revoke the Dai Ninh Project.

Some individuals in the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee committed illegal acts in: Changing the business registration of SGDN Company, changing the legal representative from Ms. Phan Thi Hoa to Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri (in essence, transferring the Project) while the Government Inspectorate had recommended revoking the Project. In addition, they also agreed with Report No. 715 of the Government Inspectorate to cancel the recommendation to revoke the Dai Ninh Project.

w truong my lan 55 1 654.png
Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri.

The actions of the officials of the above-mentioned state management agencies helped tycoon Nguyen Cao Tri achieve his goal of changing Inspection Conclusion No. 929 from terminating operations and reclaiming land of the Project to not reclaiming, extending progress and continuing to implement the Project, directing benefits to Mr. Tri, causing particularly serious consequences to State assets.

According to the Investigation Police Agency, after the above "magic" act, Mr. Tri sold the entire project to Thien Vuong Real Estate Investment and Development Company Limited, a member of Novaland Group, with an actual value of VND 27,600 billion.

The defendants' criminal acts caused the State to be unable to recover 3,595.45 hectares of land and reservoir of the Dai Ninh Project, causing waste of land resources.

Since the Project was approved for extension, SGDN Company has not implemented the Project, has not built any new items, and has continued to commit 24 violations (deforestation, illegal land encroachment), causing public outrage, and corrupting a number of leaders, officials, and Party members to the point of being prosecuted and temporarily detained.