Arrest of a group of people impersonating officials of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment for defrauding and appropriating 15 billion VND

On June 14, 2022, Nghe An Provincial Police broke up a case of "Fraudulent appropriation of property and use of fake documents of agencies and organizations" and successfully arrested 03 subjects in a ring impersonating officials of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to defraud and appropriate more than 15 billion VND from 25 victims across the province.

Previously, in early 2022, Nghe An Provincial Police discovered a group of subjects who showed signs of taking advantage of the bustling real estate market in the province by impersonating officials of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, introducing themselves as having many relationships and the ability to successfully auction planned land lots; legalizing the merging and separating of land use right certificates, converting land use purposes, then defrauding and appropriating money from many victims.

From left to right, group of 3 subjects Le Thanh Hai, Le Kien Trung and Tran Dien Thuong. Photo: Hong Ngoc

This group of subjects was led by Le Thanh Hai (born in 1983), residing in Truong Thi ward, Vinh city. Hai has 5 previous convictions for the crimes of: Theft of property; robbery and extortion of property; illegal drug trafficking and disturbing public order.

Hai's right-hand men in this ring are two individuals who both reside in Vinh City, including: Le Kien Trung (born in 1979), residing in Le Loi Ward, and Tran Dien Thuong (born in 1976), residing in Hung Dung Ward. Thuong also has two previous convictions for the crimes of illegal drug trafficking and human trafficking.

To operate his network, Le Thanh Hai directed and assigned specific tasks to 02 subjects. Trung approached people with needs related to the land sector and introduced himself as working at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, having many relationships, and being able to successfully auction planned land lots; legalizing the merging and separating of land use right certificates, and converting land use purposes. When people trusted him, Trung directly received money and related documents from the victims and gave them to Hai. After that, Hai assigned Thuong to contact and make fake land use right certificates and give them to the victims.

Evidence seized by the police. Photo: Hong Ngoc

It is worth mentioning that, although he registered permanent residence in Vinh city, to avoid detection by authorities, Hai directed the members of the network to temporarily move to live in the southern provinces.

In particular, Le Kien Trung was instructed by Hai to live in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, while Tran Dien Thuong was arranged by Hai to live in Da Nang city. Only when they discovered and contacted the "prey", did Trung and Thuong return to Nghe An, coordinating with Hai to continue defrauding and appropriating property.

After a period of monitoring, on June 8, 2022, 03 working groups under the direct direction of the Provincial Police leaders simultaneously arrested and searched the persons and residences of 03 subjects in the project "Fraudulent appropriation of property and use of fake documents of agencies and organizations" led by Le Thanh Hai. In which, Le Kien Trung was arrested in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. Subject Tran Dien Thuong, after being chased from Da Nang city to Vinh city, Thuong was arrested by the police.

The confiscated and temporarily detained exhibits include: 01 car; 05 mobile phones; 10 fake land use right certificates; 01 fake car registration and many related documents. The authorities also simultaneously froze 03 bank accounts.

Initially, the police agency has proven that with the above tricks from the end of 2021 until now, Le Thanh Hai and his accomplices have defrauded and appropriated the property of 25 victims in the whole province with a total amount of more than 15 billion VND.

Nghe An Provincial Police announced and requested that anyone who was a victim of the above group of subjects contact the Criminal Police Department of Nghe An Provincial Police to provide information to serve the investigation.