Multiple convictions for continuing to commit fraud while under investigation.
(Baonghean.vn) - While out on bail awaiting investigation into a fraud case involving the misappropriation of over 5 billion VND from two victims, Pham Thi My Hanh continued to commit another fraud.
On December 19th, the Provincial People's Court held a first-instance criminal trial against Pham Thi My Hanh (born in 1991, residing in Vinh City) for the crime of...Fraudulent appropriation of property.
According to the indictment, in June 2021, Hanh was investigated by the Nghe An Provincial Police Investigation Agency for defrauding Ms. M. and Ms. O. of more than 5 billion VND.
During this time, due to her pregnancy, Hanh was released on bail to assist with the investigation. Deeply in debt to many people, Hanh conceived the idea of defrauding and appropriating property from Ms. PTV (born in 1995, residing in Vinh City, Hanh's cousin).
Hanh claimed to have access to a supply of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, milk, etc., from abroad, guaranteeing quality and high profits, and persuaded Ms. V. to invest, promising to split the profits equally. Believing her, Ms. V. transferred money to Hanh several times, and later Hanh paid her a sum of money.
On May 27, 2022, the Provincial People's Court tried the case of Hanh for defrauding two women in Vinh City and sentenced Hanh to 20 years in prison. Despite this, Hanh continued to conceal her prison sentence and continued to defraud Ms. V.
On June 10th, seeing that the large sum of money she had invested in Hanh's business was yielding no profit, Ms. V. demanded that Hanh return it. Late that same night, Hanh sent a text message confessing to the entire affair, apologizing to Ms. V., and then cut off all contact.
After repeatedly requesting Hanh to repay the money without success, on October 20, 2022, Ms. V. filed a complaint with the Nghe An Police.
Authorities concluded that from June 1, 2021 to June 10, 2022, Ms. V. transferred a total of over 21.9 billion VND to Hanh. Hanh also returned over 19.9 billion VND to the victim, embezzling over 2 billion VND.
At the trial, the defendant Hanh admitted to all the crimes as charged in the indictment. She apologized to the victim and stated that she currently has no way to repay Ms. V.
Ms. PTV requested a severe punishment and asked the court to order the defendant to repay the entire amount of money that had been embezzled.
After a comprehensive review of the case, the trial court sentenced Pham Thi My Hanh to 16 years in prison. Combining this with her existing sentence, Hanh faces a total sentence of 30 years in prison for the crime of fraud and appropriation of property. The court also ordered her to repay over 1.9 billion VND to Ms. V. (minus over 100 million VND already paid by her family).
