Court Sentences 30 Individuals for Major Corruption Case in Vietnam

A Vietnamese court has sentenced 30 individuals, among them several former high-ranking officials, for their involvement in a significant corruption scandal that is estimated to have cost the state around $45 million. The crackdown on corruption in Vietnam has intensified in recent years, leading to the removal of two presidents and three deputy prime ministers, along with the downfall of numerous prominent business leaders.

On July 11, the Hanoi court issued verdicts for a total of 41 individuals, which included 30 ex-officials and 11 businesspeople implicated in crimes such as bribery, abuse of power, and violations of bidding and contracting regulations. The corruption charges led to damages exceeding 1.16 trillion dong (approximately $44.6 million), according to reports from Public Security News, although the actual amounts of bribes involved were significantly less.

Between 2010 and 2024, Nguyen Van Hau, the chairman of the Phuc Son Group, was found to have engaged in an extensive bribery scheme, paying more than $5 million to secure contracts for various multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects across three provinces. Prosecutors revealed that Hau delivered the bribes in the form of cash-filled suitcases to the offices and homes of other defendants, ultimately resulting in his 30-year imprisonment for his various offenses.