Former Ben Tre Secretary Le Duc Tho had 133 savings books returned

According to the verdict just announced, in addition to the total sentence of 28 years in prison for bribery and abuse of position and power to influence others,,The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court ordered former Ben Tre Party Secretary Le Duc Tho to pay back 1.47 million USD and 300 million VND; continued to detain more than 440,000 USD, 25.6 billion VND and a savings book to ensure execution of the judgment.

Mr. Tho was returned 97 gold pieces and 133 savings books because they were not related to the case.

However, the court ordered the confiscation and payment to the state budget of a Mercedes Benz S450 car (about 6.6 billion VND); 5 Patek Philippe watches, including one worth 421,000 USD (nearly 10 billion VND), which were assets given to Mr. Tho by the owner of Xuyen Viet Oil Company while in office.

As the ringleader, Ms. Mai Thi Hong Hanh, Chairwoman of the Board of Members of Xuyen Viet Oil Company, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for bribery and violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing waste and loss.

The court continued to seize 11 real estates, freeze 36 accounts of Ms. Hanh; temporarily detain the amount of 700 million VND paid by Ms. Hanh and other defendants to ensure the execution of the judgment.

In connection with the case, the remaining 13 defendants were sentenced to terms ranging from one year and six months to seven years in prison.

Currently, the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City has accepted the appeal for a reduction in the sentence of Mr. Tho, Ms. Hanh and 5 other defendants against the above verdict, and transferred the file to the High People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City for handling according to the appeal procedure.

The verdict determined that when Xuyen Viet Oil Company borrowed capital from Vietinbank and requested a credit limit, extending the credit limit maintenance period, from 2019 to January 2020, Mr. Le Duc Tho twice received bribes, totaling 600,000 USD (equivalent to 13.8 billion VND) from Ms. Hanh.

In addition, since 2021, he has been accused of abusing his position and authority as Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietinbank to influence the Director of the Ben Tre branch bank to give Xuyen Viet Oil Company favorable loans, with a credit limit of VND 400 billion, preferential interest rates and a loan collateral ratio of 40%. Hanh has given Mr. Tho many valuable assets.

In total, Mr. Tho accepted bribes and took advantage of his position and power to influence others for personal gain. more than 33 billion VND. During the investigation and first instance trial, the defendant and his family returned 34 billion VND in benefits.

Regarding Mai Thi Hong Hanh, the Trial Panel determined that Xuyen Viet Oil did not meet the conditions to be granted a license to import and export gasoline. From 2016 to 2022, she sought to meet with specialized officials of the Ministry of Industry and Trade to ask for help. Hanh bribed 22 times to 8 individuals with a total amount of more than 31 billion VND.

During the management of Xuyen Viet Oil, defendant Hanh directed his deputy Nguyen Thi Nhu Phuong and employees to not set aside and manage the payment of the petroleum price stabilization fund, causing a loss of VND 219 billion. The defendant also directed employees to prepare a full report on VND 1,244 billion in environmental protection tax, but did not pay it and instead withdrew it for personal use, causing a loss.