Trương Ngọc Ánh at police station. — Photo courtesy of HCM City Police

HCM CITY — Police have detained actress and film producer Trương Ngọc Ánh, 49, on allegations of abusing trust to misappropriate significant company assets while serving as a business executive.

The Economic Police Division under HCM City Police confirmed on Friday that Ánh was taken into temporary custody for investigation.

She previously held the position of chairwoman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Dragon Property Joint Stock Company, founded in 2007 with Ánh as its legal representative. During the company’s operations, Ánh called P.G.M. (an Irish national), to contribute a total of US$9.1 million (over VND149 billion) for two real estate projects, including the Indochine building project in former District 3.

Investigators allege that right before the time of signing the investment contract, Ánh and N.M.H., a 61-year-old associate, personally signed purchase agreements for land at the project site at a lower value, then recorded a higher cost in company accounts to capture the difference. They also claim Ánh used more than VNĐ10 billion of refunded land compensation for personal purposes without reporting it.

Police further accuse Ánh of directing making of falsified accounting entries, withdrawing company money without proper authorisation, and altering financial statements to conceal irregularities.

With a career of more than three decades, Ánh is known for her roles in Áo lụa Hà Đông (The White Silk Dress), Đồng Tiền Xương Máu (Bloody Money), and other productions. She later expanded into film production with titles such as Hương Ga (Rise) and Truy Sát (Tracer), and served as Chairwoman of Miss Earth Vietnam 2023.

The investigation is ongoing. — VNS