Trick to steal confidential documents from investigator's lover

Le Thi Phuong Hong (43 years old) and Nguyen Hoai Bac (38 years old, former officers of the Economic Security Department, Ho Chi Minh City Police) will be tried in secret by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court for the crime ofIntentionally revealing state secretsAccording to Clause 2, Article 337, Penal Code, penalty range 5-10 years in prison, April 6.

During the investigation, Hong confessed to stealing investigative information from his lover to provide to Mr. Diep Dung (54 years old, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saigon Co.op - who is being investigated) so that he could favorably introduce him to buy cheap goods.

Hong used to be a police officer in District 7. In 2017, this woman quit her job and stayed home to run two grocery stores. At the end of that year, Hong fell in love with Bac and lived as husband and wife. Being jealous, in 2019, Hong installed spyware on Bac's phone to monitor him because she suspected "there was another woman".

Illustration photo.

From installing this tracking software, in August 2020, Hong learned that Bac was participating in the investigation team, verifying violations at Saigon Co.op and information during the investigation process. Hong also repeatedly exchanged and discussed with her lover about the direction of the investigation into violations at Saigon Co.op. Bac, because he "viewed Hong as his wife and was a police officer who knew the situation", often shared information without any precautions.

When Bac returned to Hong's house to sleep, he brought along many documents to work with Mr. Dung and related people (self-declaration, recorded statements...). Taking advantage of the time when his lover was fast asleep, Hong secretly read them, took Mr. Dung's phone number, and copied and recorded a lot of information. In addition, Hong logged into Bac's Zalo account, used a phone (similar to Bac's phone) to scan the QR code. From there, this woman could see the content of the exchange between Bac and the Financial Director of Saigon Co.op and others.

Hong took the initiative to text Mr. Dung to get acquainted. After many exchanges, she sent the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saigon Co.op some information about the investigation process; his violations that caused Saigon Co.op to be charged with back taxes... and promised to help.

When the case was discovered, the authorities examined Bac's phone but did not find the spyware that Hong said she had installed. Hong said she "didn't know why it happened, but she was willing to replicate the method of collecting information and spying" on her lover's phone.

This defendant also claimed that she did not intentionally steal confidential information or documents, but only intended to monitor Bac because she suspected that he had feelings for the Saigon Co.op's CFO. The purpose of providing information to Mr. Dung was to be introduced to a source of cheap goods, convenient for business, but she did not say it. However, this woman claimed that Mr. Dung's driver gave her 100 million VND and a piece of paper with the information she needed to provide.

The prosecution agency determined that in the information that Hong provided to Mr. Dung, there were documentshoneyandtop secret. "Hong used to work in the police force and knows clearly the regulations on preserving and using documents and information on the regime.honey... Hong photocopied and recorded in a notebook to provide Diep Dung with information related to the investigation results, which is information classified as a state secret," the indictment stated.

Regarding Nguyen Hoai Bac, the prosecution determined that the defendant was clearly aware that Hong was not obligated, was not involved in the process of verifying the case, and was not allowed to provide this information to Hong, but still did so.

Mr. Diep Dung was accused of the crime.Appropriation of secret state documentsAccording to Article 337 of the Penal Code, the penalty is 2-7 years in prison. During the investigation, the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saigon Co.op pleaded innocent, claiming that he did not know these documents were confidential and that Hong had actively provided them without any motive to appropriate them.

In addition to this case, at the end of 2020, Mr. Diep Dung was prosecuted by Ho Chi Minh City Police for the crime ofAbuse of power in the performance of official duties.