Prosecution of former Ben Tre Secretary Le Duc Tho and 14 defendants in the Xuyen Viet Oil case

On the afternoon of September 18, the Supreme People's Procuracy issued an indictment in the case of "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste; giving bribes; receiving bribes; taking advantage of positions and powers to influence others for personal gain" occurring at Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited and a number of agencies.

The Supreme People's Procuracy prosecuted 15 defendants, including Le Duc Tho (former Secretary of Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee) for taking advantage of his position and power to influence others for personal gain and accepting bribes.

Seven people were prosecuted for bribery, including: Do Thang Hai (former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade); Tran Duy Dong (former Director of the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade); Hoang Anh Tuan and Nguyen Loc An (former Deputy Directors of the Domestic Market Department); Le Duy Minh (former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance, former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department); Dang Cong Khoi (former Deputy Director of the Price Management Department, Ministry of Finance); Phan Kien Anh (former Director of the Nghi Son Oil Refinery Product Distribution Branch).

The Supreme People's Procuracy prosecuted Mai Thi Hong Hanh (Director and Chairwoman of the Board of Members of Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited) for violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss, waste and bribery.

Nguyen Thi Nhu Phuong (Deputy Director of Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited) was proposed to be prosecuted for violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste.

Five people were prosecuted for bribery, including: Nguyen Van Thang (former Deputy Director of Hanoi Branch of Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited); Vu Trung Thanh (former Director of Viettinbank - Thanh Xuan Branch); Dinh Tien Dung (Chief Accountant of Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited); Nguyen Tan Long (Head of Business Department of Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited); Dong Xuan Dung (freelance worker).

According to the indictment, during the process of operating the petroleum business at Xuyen Viet Oil Transport and Tourism Trading Company Limited, Mai Thi Hong Hanh violated the management and use of the Petroleum Price Stabilization Fund (BOG) and the task of collecting and transferring Environmental Protection Tax to the State Budget, causing a total loss of VND 1,463 billion.

According to the indictment, defendant Hanh knew Mr. Le Duc Tho since the beginning of 2018 when he worked at Vietinbank. Xuyen Viet Oil Transport and Tourism Trading Company Limited had a credit relationship with this bank. In order to get Mr. Tho's help and create favorable conditions in granting credit limits and extending the credit limit maintenance period for Xuyen Viet Oil Transport and Tourism Trading Company Limited to borrow from this bank, Mai Thi Hong Hanh gave bribes twice.

According to the indictment, in 2018, Mr. Le Duc Tho was then General Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viettinbank, with the authority to approve limits, grant credit limits, and review and approve loan applications for businesses. At the end of 2021, Mr. Tho became Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee.

From 2019 to 2021, Mr. Tho took advantage of his position and authority to accept bribes and influence others for personal gain. Specifically, in the case of Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited borrowing capital from Viettinbank and applying for a credit limit, extending the credit limit maintenance period from 2019 to January 2020, Mr. Tho twice received a bribe of 600,000 USD (equivalent to 13.8 billion VND) from Mai Thi Hong Hanh.

Le Duc Tho was also accused of taking advantage of his position and authority as Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viettinbank to influence the Director of Viettinbank - Ben Tre branch to give Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited a favorable loan, with a credit limit of 400 billion VND, preferential interest rates and a loan unsecured ratio of 40%.

According to the indictment, since 2014, Mr. Hai has had the authority to issue business licenses for exporting and importing petroleum to key petroleum traders. Mr. Hai is also directly in charge of and directs the Domestic Market Department, which is the unit that receives, evaluates, and proposes to issue business licenses for exporting and importing petroleum.

In mid-June 2021, to re-issue the business license for exporting and importing gasoline for Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited, Ms. Mai Thi Hong Hanh contacted Mr. Do Thang Hai for help and facilitation. Mr. Hai directed Hoang Anh Tuan to consider and facilitate the early issuance of the license to this company.

On November 19, 2021, based on Hoang Anh Tuan's proposal, Mr. Do Thang Hai received 50,000 USD (equivalent to 1.139 billion VND) from Hanh at his office.