Former Phu Quoc City Police Chief Accused of Fraud with 'Foster Sister'

The actions of Mr. Mot and his "sister" Nguyen Thi Hang, 46 years old, were stated in the supplementary investigation conclusion that Kien Giang Provincial Police just completed, requesting the same-level Procuracy to prosecute them for fraud and property appropriation. according to Clause 4, Article 174 of the Penal Code.

According to the investigation, Colonel Mot met Hang in 2021, when they had a common interest in bronze business. She was from Nam Dinh, a bronze casting family, came to Phu Quoc to do business, and asked the police colonel for support many times. Since then, in meetings with friends, Mr. Mot often introduced Hang as his "younger sister".

The affairs with the adopted 'sister'

At this time, Ms. Tran Thi My Trung - an acquaintance of Mr. Mot, intended to buy 40 hectares of land in Bai Thom commune, and asked her to help him with the land paperwork. The Colonel said Hang could do it, and introduced her to sign a contract to hire her to do the land paperwork at a cost of 160 billion VND.

The investigation agency determined that after receiving 16 billion VND in advance from Ms. Trung, Hang used the "legally invalid" measurement results to give to her to complete the next steps of the procedure. Ms. Trung showed Mot this document, and was encouraged by the colonel, "Okay, you're done." Trusting the Chief of Phu Quoc City Police, Ms. Trung transferred another 6.5 billion VND to Hang. Even in the previous money transfers, she asked Mr. Mot's opinion and was reassured to "go ahead."

According to the investigation agency, Hang knew that the 40 hectares of land in Bai Thom commune, which is a special-use forest land of Phu Quoc National Park and public land, could not be issued a red book, but still received nearly 22 billion VND from the victim with the purpose of appropriating it. Mr. Mot clearly understood the origin of the land plot, knew that Hang was not a civil servant, could not issue land papers, but still helped her "sister" to deceive the victim.

In addition, the victim stated that he had given Mot gifts of 3.5 billion VND, 10,000 USD and asked Hang to transfer 800 million VND. However, during the investigation, the former police colonel said that he "received gifts, but not money".

The investigation results also determined that when measuring this land for Ms. Trung, the defendant Hang discovered that the actual area was more than 3 hectares, so she discussed with Mot to find a seller. The police colonel then introduced Le Van Thien to buy at 6 billion VND per hectare and said "cheap price, good deal". Thien invited Ho Viet Tuan to pool money to buy one hectare.

After "closing the deal", Colonel Mot often texted these two people to urge them to transfer money to Hang's account, such as: "Can you transfer the money this morning?", "Try hard today"... Every time they transferred money, the victims sent confirmation to the Chief of Phu Quoc City Police to see, and received a reply "Ok, received in full".

When Mr. Thien and Tuan went to see the land, they praised the "beautiful land" and asked Mr. Mot how to do the paperwork. The police colonel agreed, saying "this land, once the paperwork is done, will cost 3-4 billion VND per 1,000 m2" and asked them to transfer 5 billion VND to his account. After receiving the money, the colonel transferred it to Hang.

Confessing to the investigation agency, Ms. Hang said she transferred 7 billion VND out of the total 11 billion VND of the transaction to Mot, and used the remaining money for personal expenses.

Using similar tricks, Mot and Hang tricked and sold to Mr. Thien and Tuan a 35-hectare plot of land that was originally a protected forest land, appropriating 20 billion VND. The colonel and his "sister" also agreed to do the land paperwork for Tuan and Thai Duy Chau (Tuan's friend), receiving more than 13 billion VND even though they knew that this area was public land and could not be cleared. After receiving the money, the two did not complete any procedures as promised.

Former colonel claims 'only accepted gifts'

In total, 4 victims transferred nearly 60 billion VND to Hang, Mot received 8 billion VND. In addition, Hang also defrauded, accepted to make land papers and borrowed money from 6 other victims, defrauding a total of 30 billion VND.

Hang stated that she gave the former colonel nearly 65 billion VND in cash and by bank transfer, but he did not admit it. Therefore, the investigation agency only has grounds to prove that Hang transferred Mot 350 million VND in illegal profits.

The investigation agency determined that when the case occurred, Mr. Mot was the Chief of Phu Quoc City Police, a member of the city's Standing Committee, and knew that the land plots could not be sold or processed, but still helped Hang commit fraud. "The victims trusted Mot and gave money to Hang," the investigation conclusion stated.

Of the total 96 billion VND that Hang embezzled, the former colonel must bear general responsibility for nearly 66 billion VND.