Nguyễn Kim Hưng, aka Hưng “kính”, is sent to prison after the sentence hearing. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tuấn

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Kim Hưng, also known as Hưng “kính”, the infamous mastermind of a parking racket in Hà Nội’s Long Biên wholesale market, died of end-stage liver disease on Wednesday at Hà Đông General Hospital.

Hưng was hospitalised at 0:10am this morning in grim condition and he passed away at 11:31am despite intensive care treatment, according to the hospital.

His body is being preserved in the hospital’s morgue, the hospital said.

Earlier, on July 26, Hà Nội People’s Court announced sentences against Nguyễn Kim Hưng and his four accomplices Nguyễn Hữu Tiến, Lê Thanh Hải, Nguyễn Mạnh Long and Dương Quốc Vương for the crime of appropriating assets under Article 170, of the 2015 Criminal Code.

According to investigation results, from March 14 to September 1, Hưng took advantage of his position as a head porter to let his partners in crime force merchants pay extra to unload their cargo.

Each merchant had to pay VNĐ250,000 to 300,000 (US$11-13) for each vehicle a day.

The gang returned a part of money collected to the market’s management board and shared the rest among them.

Nguyễn Kim Hưng was sentenced 48 months in prison while other defendants were put up to 42 months behind bars. —  VNS