HÀ NỘI – Hà Nội People’s Court yesterday opened the trial of the former director of HDBank’s branch on charges of swindling and appropriating assets.

Accused Lê Quý Hiển, 40, residing in Nhân Chính Ward of Hà Nội’s Thanh Xuân District, is the former director of Thăng Long branch of HCM City Development Stock Bank (HDBank).

Standing in the court with Hiển were 14 other defendants, who are directors and chief accountants of stock and limited companies that are connected to the crime.

Ten were prosecuted on charges of swindling and appropriating assets under the Criminal Code, while five others were prosecuted on the charge of lacking responsibility causing serious consequences.

According to the indictment, Hiển took advantage of his position in the bank to sign and release nine guarantee letters of blank payment for five businesses to appropriate money valued at VNĐ149 billion ( US$6.5 million).

In November 2011, Đỗ Thị Trang, who was director of Việt Thanh Company, asked Hiển to sign two guarantee letters of blank payment for an amount of VNĐ18.4 billion (US$810,900), which was considered financial proof for Trang’s company to undertake transactions with HADICO company.

With the letters, Trang also asked two other private companies’ directors to release more papers to prove her company’s real operation.

With these papers, Trang signed a contract with HADICO company to buy 1.150 tonnes of construction steel worth VNĐ19 billion ($  837,561) under the deferred payment method.  

Upon receiving the goods, Trang sold the steel and divided the money with Hiển, who took some VNĐ 18 billion (US$793,594).

In another case, Hiển used the same trick and cooperated with Nguyễn Tô Hiệu, director of Nhật Nam Construction Investment Stock Company, to appropriate an amount valued at VNĐ15 billion (US$660,000) from Thành Đô Steel Ltd., Company.

In yet another case, Hiển and Nguyễn Tuấn Anh, director of Á Âu New Materials Manufacturing Ltd., Company, appropriated VNĐ10 billion (US$480,000).

The Procuracy recommended to the court to ask Hiển to compensate a total of VNĐ45 billion (US$1.98 million) to companies that were swindled.

The court session will last for four days. – VNS