Lê Thanh Thản. — Photo vov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội police on Friday proposed the prosecution of Lê Thanh Thản, chairman of the Mường Thanh Group, for customer fraud.

The proposal came after police completed an investigation into alleged customer deception and lack of responsibility causing serious consequences that occurred at the CT6 Kiến Hưng Project, in Kiến Hưng Ward, Hà Đông District.

The police proposed prosecuting seven defendants including Thản, 71, Nguyễn Duy Uyển, 57, chairman of Kiến Hưng Ward People's Committee, Vương Đăng Quân, 63, former deputy chief construction inspector of Hà Đông District, Mai Quang Bài, an official of the construction management team of Hà Đông District, and three others who are officials of the Kiến Hưng Ward and Hà Đông District People's Committees.

Thản is suspected of violating the law at the investment project to build the Bemes apartment complex and commercial (CT6) in Kiến Hưng Ward.

Regarding the incident, in May 2018, apartment owners at CT6 apartment submitted an application to Hà Nội authorities to receive their land-use right certificates but discovered the CT6 apartment building was ineligible to issue the certificates, though they had been led to believe it was.

Thản is one of the country's top real estate tycoons and the head of a large corporation.

Mường Thanh Group operates in many fields such as real estate investment and business, travel services, restaurant and hotel, shopping malls, finance and retail supermarket.

According to Clause 2, Article 198 of the Penal Code, Thản’s could be fined VNĐ100-500 million (US$4,300-21,600) or imprisoned from 1-5 years. — VNS