Reinvestigate the case of library staff making fake degrees for students

Dozens of students were sold fake diplomas from Saigon College of Culture, Arts and Tourism by Ms. Le Ngoc Hong for 6 million VND/diploma. They were discovered when they applied for tour guide cards.

Defendants in court - Photo: TUYET MAI

On August 10, the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City opened the first instance trial of defendant Le Ngoc Hong - former librarian of Saigon College of Culture, Arts and Tourism, and accomplices Nguyen Tran Dinh, Vo Nguyen Hai Dang and Huynh Duc Long in the fake diploma ring of this school.

The defendants were tried for forging seals and documents of organizations.

However, through the interrogation, the trial panel decided to return the case file to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Procuracy for further investigation, requesting an appraisal to clarify whether the diplomas in the case were fake or real, and to clarify whether there was any connection with other people or not?

At the same time, the court also requested the investigation agency to consider changing the preventive measures against the defendants according to the provisions of the law on temporary detention and temporary custody, and to review the composition of the crime according to the provisions of the 2015 Penal Code.

According to the case file, after receiving a report from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism about the discovery of many people using fake degrees from the Saigon College of Culture, Arts and Tourism to apply for tour guide cards, the investigation agency coordinated with professional units to clarify.

At 1:30 p.m. on September 29, 2016, at a coffee shop on Pham Van Bach Street (Go Vap District), the authorities discovered and caught Dang and Dinh red-handed trading fake diplomas for 5.5 million.

Expanding the investigation, on October 3, 2016, the police arrested and searched Hong's workplace, confiscating 4 fake transcripts and academic records. The police then continued to arrest Long.

At the investigation agency, Hong confessed that he was a librarian at the above college. In 2013, some students asked Hong to help them get their diplomas early to get tour guide cards. Through an introduction, Hong met a person named Hai to get fake diplomas for 4.5 million/diploma.

From 2013 until his arrest, Hong had Hai make 33 fake diplomas, which Hong sold for 6 million VND, earning a total profit of 78.5 million VND.

Of which, Dinh bought 31 degrees from Hong and then sold them to Dang 9 degrees, Long 3 degrees for a profit of 72.5 million VND. Dang sold them to those in need for a profit of 16 million VND. Similarly, Long earned a profit of 14.5 million VND.

In court, Hong stated that because many students did not have degrees to work, he felt sorry for the students so he committed the above act./.

According to tuoitre