The defendants in court for their sentence hearing. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

HÀ NỘI — Five men from the central province of Hà Tĩnh have been sentenced to a total of 57 years in prison for extorting a South Korean restaurant owner in Hà Nội, following a prolonged period of harassment and intimidation that forced the victim to temporarily shut her business.

Hà Nội People’s Court on Thursday jailed Bùi Quang Trung for 13 years, Nguyễn Quốc Nhật 12 years, Hồ Văn Vũ and Nguyễn Tất Hùng 11 years each and Đậu Văn Tuyên 10 years.

According to the indictment, Bùi Quang Trung previously worked in South Korea, where he met Yang Jung Suk, a South Korean national. Although Trung returned to Việt Nam in 2019, the two remained in contact. 

In May 2023, Yang helped Trung obtain a divorce from his Korean wife at no cost, and later asked Trung to help recover a VNĐ1.4 billion (US$53,400) debt from J., a South Korean woman who owns a restaurant in Hà Nội.

Yang provided Trung with documents authorising the debt collection, including a loan contract allegedly signed by J.

In early August 2023, Trung travelled to Hà Nội and confronted J. at her restaurant, demanding payment. J refused, saying she had already settled the debt. 

Trung then called in a group of acquaintances from Hà Tĩnh to increase the pressure.

From August 20 to 22, the group repeatedly disrupted the restaurant by occupying tables and handing out defamatory flyers to drive away customers.

On September 21, they returned with more flyers. Fearing reputational damage, J. shut the restaurant and gave Trung VNĐ10 million, but he continued to demand the full debt.

On September 24, the group returned, disrupted the restaurant and scattered defamatory leaflets. J., under pressure, agreed to pay VNĐ300 million by September 29 and the remainder by October 9.

On the morning of September 29, Trung and the group arrived at the restaurant with a receipt and demanded J  hand over the rest of the money. As she handed over the bag of cash, police arrived, recorded the incident and took the group into custody for questioning.

J. later requested VNĐ300 million in compensation for lost business revenue and called for the men to be prosecuted. — VNS