Defendants in notorious PVC trial are proposed sentences of long-term imprisonment

Defendants Dinh La Thang and Trinh Xuan Thanh

The sentences proposed for all defendants are as follows:

1. Dinh La Thang (former chairman of PetroVietnam’s Board of Directors): 14-15 years of imprisonment.

2. Trinh Xuan Thanh (former chairman of the Board of Directors and general director of PetroVietnam Construction JSC - PVC): 13-14 years of imprisonment for “intentionally violating state regulations on economic management and causing serious consequences” and life imprisonment for “asset embezzlement.” Altogether, the Procuracy proposed sentence of life imprisonment to him.

3. Phung Dinh Thuc (former general director of PetroVietnam): 12-13 years of imprisonment.

4. Nguyen Quoc Khanh (former deputy general director of PetroVietnam): 10-11 years of imprisonment.

5. Nguyen Xuan Son (former deputy general director of PetroVietnam): 10-11 years of imprisonment.

6. Vu Duc Thuan (former general director of PVC): 8-9 years of imprisonment for intentionally violating state regulations and 18-19 years for asset embezzlement. He was proposed sentence of a total of 26-28 years of imprisonment.

7. Ninh Van Quynh (former chief accountant and head of Finance and Accounting Division of PetroVietnam): 10-11 years of imprisonment.

8. Le Dinh Mau (former deputy head of Finance and Accounting division of PetroVietnam): 7-8 years of imprisonment.

9. Vu Hong Chuong (former head of the Project Management Unit of Thai Binh 2 thermal power project): 2-3 years of imprisonment, suspended for 4-5 years of probation.

10. Tran Van Nguyen (former chief accountant of the Project Management Unit of Thai Binh 2 thermal power project): 2-3 years of imprisonment, suspended for 4-5 years of probation.

11. Nguyen Ngoc Quy (former vice chairman of the PVC Board of Management): 8-9 years of imprisonment.

12. Nguyen Manh Tien (former deputy general director of PVC): 7-8 years of imprisonment.

13. Pham Tien Dat (former chief accountant of PVC): 6-7 years of imprisonment.

14. Truong Quoc Dung (former deputy general director of PVC): 17-18 months of imprisonment.

Defendants charged with “asset embezzlement”:

15. Nguyen Anh Minh (former deputy general director of PVC): 18-19 years of imprisonment.

16. Bui Manh Hien (former chief of Office of PVC): 13-14 years of imprisonment.

17. Luong Van Hoa (former director of Project Management Unit of Vung Ang-Quang Trach under PVC): 13-14 years of imprisonment.

18. Nguyen Thanh Quynh (former director technical-technology of Mien Trung Corporation under Danang JSC): 8-9 years of imprisonment.

19. Le Thi Anh Hoa (former director of Quynh Hoa One Member Co., Ltd.): 30-36 months of imprisonment, suspended for 5 years of probation.

20. Nguyen Duc Hung (former head of Finance-Accounting division under the Project Management Unit of Vung Ang-Quang Trach project): 30- 36 months of imprisonment, suspended for 5 years of probation.

21. Le Xuan Khanh (former head of Economic-Planning Division under the Project Management Unit of Vung Ang-Quang Trach project): 30-36 months of imprisonment, suspended for 5 years of probation.

22. Nguyen Ly Hai (former head of Technical Office under the Project Management Unit of Vung Ang-Quang Trach project): 30-36 months of imprisonment, suspended for 5 years of probation.

The representative of the Procuracy said that this is a very serious case. All the defendants are leaders of important companies, a position they were appointed to manage state capital and deploy major projects important to the entire country. However, due to group and individual interests, they have committed serious violations.

Defendant Dinh La Thang was found to have directed his staff to sign contracts in contravention of regulations. Thereby, Trinh Xuan Thanh could take money and spend it for the wrong purposes.

Defendant Trinh Xuan Thanh, along with Vu Duc Thuan, signed EPC Contract No.33 and received the advance amounts of over $6.6 million and VND1.312 trillion ($58 million). Thanh misused VND1.115 trillion ($49.1 million) instead of the implementation of the Thai Binh 2 thermal power project, causing economic damages of over VND119 billion ($5.25 million).

Trinh Xuan Thanh directed Vu Duc Thuan, Nguyen Anh Minh, and Luong Van Hoa to create fake records to withdraw over VND13 billion ($573,000) from the Vung Ang-Quang Trach project. Trinh Xuan Thanh embezzled VND4 billion ($176,000) of this amount.

At the court, almost all defendants pleaded their guilty. However, defedant Dinh La Thang confirmed only his responsibilities as a leader of the corporation, not seriously aware of his illegal acts.

The defendants’ acts of asset embezzlement were penalised in line with the amended 2015 Criminal Code, which took effect on January 1, 2018.

PVC embezzlement trial starts today This morning, the Hanoi People’s Court opened the first instance hearing of Dinh La Thang, Trinh Xuan Thanh, and 20 other related defendants charged with “intentionally violating state regulations on economic management and causing serious consequences” and “asset embezzlement.”

Trial of Dinh La Thang and 21 others to start on January 8 On January 8, 2018, the Hanoi People’s Court will open the first instance hearing of the trial of Dinh La Thang and 21 other defendants in relation to serious economic crimes at PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC), according to newswire Vnexpress.

Dinh La Thang arrested and facing legal proceedings Dinh La Thang - a member of the Party Central Committee and deputy chairman of the committee's Economic Commission, was arrested on December 8, 2017 by the Investigation Police Department in relation to two serious economic crimes during his chairmanship of the Member Council of Vietnam's oil and gas group PetroVietnam.

Deposed Politburo member now Party Central Committee advisor Dinh La Thang, who was voted out of the Politburo on May 7 due to past mismanagement of state-owned Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), has been appointed as a deputy chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission.