Trần Ngọc Bích, director of the North Asia Tourism and Trading Company Limited, and Hà Nội Travel Trading and Tourism Joint Stock Company, at the court. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

HÀ NỘI — Trần Ngọc Bích, director of the North Asia Tourism and Trading Company Limited, and Hà Nội Travel Trading and Tourism Joint Stock Company, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Hà Nội People's Court for fraudulently appropriating property under Article 174 of the Criminal Code.

According to prosecutors, Bích established the two companies but neither company had been granted licences by the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism to operate domestic or international travel services.

However, between 2020 and 2023, Bích allegedly devised a scheme to defraud people seeking travel services.

She falsely told prospective customers that the North Asia Tourism and Trading Company Limited had organised numerous domestic and overseas tours, but that some bookings had become available because of the COVID-19 pandemic or because certain customers could no longer travel.

She then offered these tour packages at discounts of up to 50 per cent.

After victims signed travel contracts with either the North Asia Tourism and Trading Company Limited and Hà Nội Travel Trading and Tourism Joint Stock Company and paid for the tours, Bích failed to organise the trips as agreed and instead appropriated the funds.

Unable to contact Bích, the victims subsequently filed complaints with the police.

Investigators determined that after the North Asia Tourism and Trading Company Limited ceased operations in 2020 and customers, who had booked tours through the firm, were unable to travel, Bích established Hà Nội Travel Trading and Tourism Joint Stock Company in December 2022 to continue receiving bookings and arranging or transferring tour operations.

Court proceedings found that Bích defrauded 311 victims through 18 different groups and intermediaries, appropriating more than VNĐ5.6 billion (approximately US$215,000).

Most of the money was spent on personal expenses, while only nearly VNĐ230 million ($8,800) was repaid to victims.

Among those affected was Nguyễn Công T., a Hà Nội’s resident, 71.

Prosecutors said Bích falsely claimed that the North Asia Tourism and Trading Company Limited was offering five-day, four-night package tours to Japan priced at VNĐ29 million ($1,100) per person.

She told him that several customers had cancelled their bookings and asked the company to resell the tour slots at half price to interested travellers.

Believing the offer to be genuine, he recruited a number of acquaintances to purchase the discounted packages in April 2022.

More than 30 people ultimately paid a combined VNĐ578 million ($22,200) for the tours. — VNS