Former editor-in-chief of Vietnam Environment and Urban Magazine Đồng Xuân Thụ (centre) under custody. — VNA/VNS Photo

THÁI BÌNH — Authorities in the northern province of Thái Bình have prosecuted the former editor-in-chief of Vietnam Environment and Urban Affairs magazine Đồng Xuân Thụ, along with 43 others, for allegedly running a coordinated extortion scheme targeting businesses with environmental violations.

According to the Thái Bình People’s Procuracy, the accused exploited their roles at the magazine to pressure enterprises with environmental violations into signing paid contracts under threat of negative media coverage.

Thụ, who was appointed editor-in-chief in 2010, is accused of directing staff members, including reporters and collaborators, to identify violations of environmental regulations and report them to the editorial board via the Zalo messaging platform.

Once violations were flagged, Thụ or then-Deputy Editor-in-Chief Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hồng issued official introduction letters enabling reporters to approach businesses.

The reporters then allegedly confronted organisations with their findings and pressured them into signing contracts for promotional programmes like the 'Golden Broom' campaign, children’s drawing initiatives or general publicity services.

Contract values reportedly ranged between VNĐ50 million and VNĐ300 million (US$2,000 to $12,000).

If businesses declined to cooperate, reporters were instructed to proceed with publishing articles highlighting the alleged violations. Once published, the articles were circulated on social media platforms to increase public pressure.

Targeted parties were then urged to contact the magazine for assistance in altering or removing the content.

Prosecutors allege that Thụ set performance quotas for department and office heads and that the group operated in coordination, from gathering information to extorting money and dividing proceeds.

The defendants are accused of carrying out more than 80 extortion incidents nationwide and collecting over VNĐ5 billion (approximately $200,000). — VNS