The 'international cooperation' scheme is used to trick people into illegally fleeing the country.

Du học chỉ là vỏ bọc

Công ty cổ phần Hợp tác quốc tế AHD, nơi Nguyễn Thị Oanh (40 tuổi, trú Nghệ An) làm Giám đốc, được Sở GD & ĐT Nghệ An cấp phép hoạt động dịch vụ tư vấn du học. Nhưng tờ “giấy phép” đó, thay vì được dùng đúng mục đích, đã bị biến thành tấm bình phong cho một đường dây tổ chức đưa người ra nước ngoài trái phép.

Theo hồ sơ của cơ quan chức năng, Nguyễn Thị Oanh đã cùng Bùi Văn Mạnh (45 tuổi, trú Ninh Bình) móc nối với nhiều cá nhân trong và ngoài nước, trong đó có Jeong Woo Hyun (51 tuổi, quốc tịch Hàn Quốc) thực hiện hành vi lừa đảo. Các đối tượng vẽ ra viễn cảnh “đổi đời” nơi xứ người bằng những gói dịch vụ đi Hàn Quốc, Malaysia, Úc với lời quảng cáo ngọt ngào.

Để thuyết phục lao động đưa hồ sơ, nộp tiền, nhóm này phân công cho một số đối tượng: Bùi Thị Ánh Tuyết (41 tuổi), Lê Thị Hường (33 tuổi), Nguyễn Thị Ngọc (31 tuổi), Võ Thị Hương (30 tuổi), Phạm Văn Dân (37 tuổi)… đảm nhận việc môi giới, giới thiệu, thậm chí “cam kết” lo toàn bộ thủ tục xuất cảnh. Tin lời, nhiều gia đình đã vay mượn tiền bạc để nộp cho Công ty.

Nhưng đằng sau lời hứa hẹn ấy là những mánh khóe bất hợp pháp mà các đối tượng trong đường dây này chủ mưu. Các bị cáo dựng nên hồ sơ giả, làm giấy tờ giả, thậm chí vẽ ra lộ trình sang Malaysia - Sri Lanka “học tiếng Anh” rồi chuyển tiếp sang Úc, sau đó ở lại lao động trái phép.

Cơ quan điều tra xác định, từ tháng 5/2022 đến tháng 12/2023, đường dây này đã tổ chức cho 25 người trốn đi lao động trái phép. Tổng số tiền thu về hơn 10 tỷ đồng, 25.500 USD và 4.000 AUD.

Cụ thể, từ tháng 5/2022 đến tháng 6/2023, Nguyễn Thị Oanh, Bùi Văn Mạnh, Bùi Thị Ánh Tuyết đã nhận hồ sơ và số tiền gần 1,4 tỷ đồng của 4 lao động. Sau đó, nhóm này chuyển cho Jeong Woo Hyun, Bùi Thị Thiêm gần 800 triệu đồng để tổ chức cho 4 người trên sang Hàn Quốc theo diện du lịch rồi ở lại lao động trái phép. Ngày 30/6/2022, khi 4 lao động trên xuất cảnh đến đảo Jeju (Hàn Quốc) thì không được nhập cảnh buộc phải quay về Việt Nam.

Subsequently, in August 2023, Oanh instructed Mạnh and Tuyết to receive documents and 34 million VND from a worker to arrange for their trip to Malaysia under the guise of tourism, with the intention of staying and working illegally. However, a few days after the worker departed for Malaysia, they were deported back to Vietnam.

In addition, Oanh and Mạnh instructed their subordinates to create files for 20 workers, collecting a total of over 8 billion VND, 25,500 USD, and 4,000 AUD, with the aim of organizing their trip to Australia by sending them to Malaysia and Sri Lanka to study English, and then processing their exit procedures to Australia, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

To arrange for 20 people to go to Australia under the guise of studying and then staying to work, Nguyen Thi Oanh and Bui Van Manh instructed Tuyet, Huong, Ngoc, and Huong to guide the workers to contact Nguyen Quang Tuyen (37 years old, residing in Nghe An) to order fake documents. Tuyen then contacted Nguyen Cong Anh (47 years old), along with Tran Thi Tuyet (41 years old), to create fake documents for the workers to submit to AHD Company for exit visa applications.

The price to pay for scammers

Recently, the Nghe An Provincial People's Court held a first-instance trial for 13 defendants charged with organizing illegal emigration and forging seals and using forged documents of agencies and organizations. The courtroom was packed that day as many victims attended the trial. Many people's faces showed sadness and anxiety after being deceived.

At the trial, Nguyen Thi Oanh admitted to the crime, stating that she was driven by greed. The woman who once ran the company no longer maintained her confident demeanor. Oanh testified that although the company was only licensed by authorities to provide study abroad consulting services, and not to offer employment services or services for sending people abroad, she and defendant Manh used the company's name to collaborate with and connect with many individuals to organize the sending of Vietnamese people abroad under various guises such as tourism, business, and study abroad. Their ultimate goal was to have the Vietnamese people stay and work illegally.

In this criminal ring, there is a foreign defendant, Jeong Woo Hyun. Due to health issues, the defendant was allowed to sit during questioning by the court. Defendant Jeong Woo Hyun admitted to cooperating with Oanh in illegally bringing laborers to South Korea. The defendant knew that his actions violated Vietnamese law but still carried them out. He requested the court to consider granting him leniency under Vietnamese law.

The remaining defendants in the case also expressed remorse for their crimes. Many of them were formerly employees of the company, now considered accomplices in this serious case. The defendants hoped for leniency so they could have a chance to rebuild their lives.

Many of the victims attending the trial could not hide their grief and anxiety, having spent large sums of money hoping to emigrate. However, they were defrauded by the defendants and lost a significant amount of money. The pain of these families is not only about money, but also about the disappointment of having their trust betrayed.

After the trial, the panel of judges concluded that this was an organized, protracted case involving multiple provinces and cities, with an exceptionally large amount of money embezzled. The defendants' actions not only violated the state's administrative order but also caused serious consequences for workers and society.

After considering the role of each defendant in the case, the panel of judges sentenced Nguyen Thi Oanh to 8 years in prison for the crime of "Organizing the escape of others to foreign countries" and 3 years in prison for the crime of "Using forged documents of agencies and organizations," resulting in a combined sentence of 11 years for Oanh.

The court sentenced defendant Bui Van Manh to 9 years in prison; Bui Thi Anh Tuyet to 8 years in prison. Defendants Nguyen Thi Ngoc and Vo Thi Huong each received 30 months in prison; Le Thi Huong received 27 months in prison.

For the crime of "Organizing the illegal emigration of others," defendant Jeong Woo Hyun received an 18-month prison sentence; Pham Van Dan received an 18-month suspended sentence; and Bui Thi Thiem received a 15-month suspended sentence.

For the crime of "Forging seals and documents of agencies and organizations," the court sentenced Nguyen Quang Tuyen to 30 months in prison, Nguyen Cong Anh to 30 months in prison, Bui Xuan Thanh to 24 months in prison, and Tran Thi Tuyet to 18 months in prison with a suspended sentence.

The trial concluded, the defendants received their sentences, but the pain of the victims is far from over. A study abroad consulting company – a gateway for young people to the world – was transformed into a tool for a sophisticated criminal ring. Under the guise of "international cooperation" and enticing advertisements promising a better future abroad, the perpetrators not only defrauded billions of dong but also plunged many families into debt and hardship. The case serves as a costly warning about the exploitation of open-door policies and study abroad and tourism programs for illegal activities. It also highlights the need for stricter management of organizations operating in the fields of study abroad consulting, employment, and international labor cooperation, so that no one else has to sacrifice their future to those who disregard the law for the sake of greed.

For the public, this is a wake-up call: don't risk your assets and future just because of promises of "easy jobs and high salaries abroad." Thoroughly research information, verify the organization's origins and documents before handing over money or documents. In reality, in an increasingly open world, the line between genuine opportunities and scams is becoming increasingly blurred. Only knowledge and vigilance can help each individual protect themselves from unrealistic dreams.