Car salon owner extradited from US to Vietnam sentenced to 30 years in prison

On May 29, Ho Chi Minh City People's Court sentencedNguyen Duc Dung (43 years old, also known as Dung Theo) was sentenced to 30 years in prison for fraud and abuse of trust to appropriate property.

According to the panel of judges, Dung only admitted to the act of abusing trust, borrowing money from many people to do business but was unable to pay back due to losses. However, the evidence in the file and the interrogation in court showed sufficient grounds to determine that the defendant had committed fraud to defraud customers, with the aim of fleeing.

Investigation resultsdetermined, in 2005 Dung and his friend established Hung Dung LLC specializing in buying, selling, repairing, consigning cars and spare parts. Later, he borrowed money from many people at high interest rates to start his own business, opening Hung Dung auto salon on Cong Hoa street, Tan Binh district.

Due to business losses, Dung was in debt to many people but always pretended to be a big tycoon. Since the end of 2009, the salon owner had the idea of ​​​​stealing money from car customers to escape. Dung bought cars from many people, or consigned cars to sell for them, but then did not pay.By March 2011, being hunted by creditors, Dung decided to take his whole family and flee.

Afraid of being discovered, he bought round-trip tickets for the entire family of the male employee to travel together in Thailand. However, after arriving in Thailand, Dung told them to return home first, while he had to go to the US to import a new shipment and then take his wife and children with him.

Wanted fugitive was escorted back to Vietnam by special plane

Pursued by creditors in the US, Dung and his family constantly changed residence. In August 2013, he was arrested by US police for illegal residence.

In early March 2015, Dung was escorted by police to the airport to return to Vietnam, but he yelled and threatened fellow passengers, forcing the captain to refuse to transport him. After the Ministry of Homeland Security negotiated with Vietnam, on January 6, Dung was escorted by private plane to Tan Son Nhat airport.

Before fleeing, Dung borrowed 300,000 USD from a female tycoon named Hanh - who had a car trading relationship with him since 2006, for expenses. He sent 70,000 USD to his father, Nguyen Duc Nho, who settled in the US, bought earrings and a diamond ring worth 125,000 USD and brought 40,000 USD with him when leaving the country.

In total, Dung borrowed and appropriated more than 132 billion VND from 33 individuals and businesses.

In court today, Dung only admitted to the act of abusing trust to appropriate property, disagreeing with the accusation of defrauding Ms. Hanh of 300,000 USD for travel expenses to escape to the US. The defendant said that this money was used to invest in buying 4 cars and opening another salon.

This view of Dung was not accepted by the Procuracy. Because the results of the additional investigation determined that Dung bought 4 cars.The customer paid only 73,000 USD in advance for the cars worth more than 350,000 USD. After selling the cars for 130,000 USD and more than 5 billion VND, the defendant appropriated it all.

Last week, the court brought the case to trial, but Dung complained about some of the allegations, including the part related to the 300,000 USD embezzled from Ms. Hanh. Therefore, the panel of judges had to postpone the trial for verification. Because Dung's complaint was not accepted by the Supreme People's Procuracy, the court continued the trial.

Regarding the case, Nguyen Thi Bao Chau (44 years old, Dung's wife) participated with her husband in borrowing more than 34 billion VND but is on the run. The investigation agency has issued a wanted order and will handle it when she is arrested.