Việt Nam Education Publishing House's former chairman Nguyễn Đức Thái in custody. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam Education Publishing House's former chairman Nguyễn Đức Thái is accused of receiving millions of dollars in bribes to favour specific paper suppliers.

The Supreme People's Procuracy has recently charged him with taking bribes.

According to the Procuracy, before 2017 the publishing house procured papers by seeking price offers from various suppliers and selecting the most competitive bid.

When Thái took the reins as chairman in 2017, Nguyễn Trí Minh, the then Director of Minh Cường Phát Paper CO LTD and Tô Mỹ Ngọc, the then Chairwoman of Phùng Vĩnh Hưng Paper JSC, reportedly approached him and asked for a favour to win a contract, promising a 'little something extra' in return.

He allegedly instructed his subordinates to rig the bidding process to place the two companies on a supplier shortlist, helping Phùng Vĩnh Hưng Paper JSC secure three lucrative contracts worth VNĐ282 billion (about US$11 million) in the same year.

In return, Ngọc allegedly offered Thái a thank-you gift of VNĐ3 billion ($118,000) in cash.

This pattern continued in the following years, with Thái reportedly taking VNĐ4 billion ($158,000) annually from Ngọc, in addition to her yearly Lunar New Year gifts of VNĐ200 million ($7,900).

Thái reportedly facilitated her company's acquisition of 13 contracts between 2017 and 2022, worth more than VNĐ2.1 trillion collectively (approximately $83 million).

Prosecutors allege that Minh also paid Thái a total of VNĐ4.9 billion ($193,000) in bribes between 2017 and 2020 to be awarded three contracts.

Thái now 62, who was living in Phú Thượng Ward, Tây Hồ District, Hà Nội City, when he was arrested in 2023, has admitted to his crime and expressed remorse.

He has returned the VNĐ25 billion ($986,000) he had taken and claimed he would voluntarily surrender his properties to help address the case’s impact.

In connection to the case, Thái's subordinates - the publishing house's former vice chairman Lê Hoàng Hải, former chief accountant Phạm Gia Thạch, marketing department's former director Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thủy and marketing department's former deputy director Đinh Quốc Khánh - have been charged with bid rigging.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Trí Minh and Tô Mỹ Ngọc have faced charges of bribery. — VNS