Trần Duy Đông, deputy director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency. – Photo nld.com.vn

HÀ NỘI – Legal proceedings have been launched against three more defendants when the Investigation Security Agency is expanding investigations into violations of Xuyên Việt Oil Company, Lieutenant General Tô Ân Xô, spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, said on Wednesday at the Government’s regular press conference in Hà Nội.

Trần Duy Đông, deputy director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, was prosecuted for receiving bribes while chief accountant of the Xuyên Việt Oil Company Đinh Tiến Dũng and its sales director Nguyễn Tấn Long were prosecuted for giving bribes.

This was the latest development of the expanded investigation of the case "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste; irresponsibility causing serious consequences; giving bribes; and accepting bribes" at the Xuyên Việt Oil Company and some related agencies. The police have detained many people who held positions.

Previously, legal proceedings were launched against director of VietinBank Thanh Xuân Branch Vũ Trung Thành, deputy director of the Xuyên Việt Oil Company’s Hà Nội branch Nguyễn Văn Thắng, freelancer Đồng Xuân Dũng for giving bribes and director of Nghi Sơn Oil Refinery Branch Phan Tiến Anh for receiving bribes.

The Investigation Security Agency said that these defendants took advantage of the State's policy that allows them to collect part of the petrol sales for the petroleum stabilisation fund but they did not send money into the fund's account. These defendants fraudulently made up financial reports and improperly set up funds to get benefits personally, causing loss of State assets.

On December 14, 2023, the agency launched legal proceedings against and detained former Secretary of the Bến Tre Province's Party Committee Lê Đức Thọ for “abusing power and position to influence others for gains”.

On December 21, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Đỗ Thắng Hải was also prosecuted and arrested for allegedly receiving bribes.

Spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security Tô Ân Xô also affirmed that the investigation into the case at Phúc Sơn Group JSC will be expanded.

He said the ministry’s Investigation Police Agency is collecting more relevant documents and evidence, and it will further investigate the case to clarify wrongdoings by the company in localities and units.

Measures have been taken to completely recover assets for the State, he said, adding that VNĐ55 billion (US$2.19 million) and $1.6 million has been recovered and many assets have been distrained so far.

On March 27, the agency began legal proceedings against and detained Lê Viết Chữ, former deputy chairman and former chairman of the People's Committee and Secretary of the Party Committee of Quảng Ngãi Province; and Phạm Hoàng Anh, permanent deputy secretary of the Party Committee and former director of the Construction Department of Vĩnh Phúc Province, for “receiving bribes.”

It was revealed that Chữ allegedly received money from Nguyễn Văn Hậu, chairman of the Phúc Sơn Group JSC, to ensure that the group won a lucrative bid for the road construction on the southern bank of Trà Khúc River project in the central province of Quảng Ngãi.  

Similarly, Anh allegedly accepted money from Hậu to facilitate his company in executing a market construction project in the northern province of Vĩnh Phúc.

Earlier, the agency started legal actions against 15 defendants associated with the Phúc Sơn Group case. – VNS