Miss Phuong Nga in court

Hair tied up high, always smiling, beauty queen Phuong Nga - accused of defrauding a Saigon tycoon out of 16.5 billion VND - was brought to court quite early.

Morning of September 21,TruongHo Phuong Nga (29 years old, living in Hanoi) and her friend Nguyen Duc Thuy Dung (27 years old) were brought toHCM City People's Court before 8am. In light-colored clothes,The beauty looks quite calm with her hair in a high bun and a smile on her face.

Miss Phuong Nga arrives at court. Photo: Duc Huy.

According to the indictment, during her time as a close friend of a businessman in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Nga said she knew many people who could buy houses at low prices. The beauty then introduced him to buy a house in District 5 for 6 billion VND (market price 8 billion VND), agreeing to pay within 3 months.

Nga told Dung about the tycoon's intention to swindle money and invited her to join. Dung then opened a bank account for Nga to direct him to transfer money into.

From July to September 2012, this businessman twice brought 3 billion VND to Nga's house. He transferred the rest to Dung's account.

Using the excuse that the house had been bought, Nga introduced him to another house in District 2 worth about 20 billion but could be bought for 16.5 billion.This person agreed and promised to transfer the money to Russia once he found it.

Seeing the tycoon slow to transfer money, Nga is said to bemade up a reason that the house in District 2 was stuck in procedures, the money he gave her before was a deposit for another house on Nguyen Trai Street (District 1) with the same price. The beauty then, through the maid,She hired a middle-aged man for 10 million VND to pretend to be the owner of the house. She prepared a fake will (with Dung's boyfriend copying it) with the content of letting the man inherit the house, then made fake sales contracts and deposits to deceive the businessman.

The businessman repeatedly transferred an additional 10.5 billion VND to Nga and Dung's accounts. The beauty never returned the house. When he tried to meet her, she avoided him and cut off contact. This person reported it to the police.

The investigation agency determined that Nga hired a couple for 200 million VND to threaten the tycoon into withdrawing the complaint. She gave 120 million VND in advance, promising to pay the rest when successful.

Still invited by the police to work, Nga went to meet this couple to talk, but a financial conflict arose so the contract was terminated.She also forged some documents proving that she had paid back the money to the tycoon but was discovered.

Two defendants before trial. Photo: Hai Duyen

During the investigation, Nga did not answer the police's questions. Dung admitted her actions and said she received 6.5 billion VND from this transaction. Of which, she kept a savings account with 2.5 billion VND, spent the rest and withdrew it to give to Nga but did not have a receipt.

Some people involved said they did not know that Nga's hiring was for the purpose of appropriating other people's property. Nga also did not disclose this, so the investigation agency had no basis to criminally prosecute these people.

At court today, the defense attorney for defendant Phuong Nga requested the panel of judges to postpone the trial to summon additional witnesses. Furthermore, Nga is claiming her innocence and appealing the investigation conclusion and the indictment to the Supreme People's Procuracy, but has yet to receive a response.

However, the lawyer's opinion was not accepted by the court because "during the questioning process, if there are any unclear details that need to be investigated, the court will consider it."

Two years after winning the title of Miss Vietnam in Russia in 2007, Truong Ho Phuong Nga returned to Vietnam and moved to Saigon to start a career. Living in a luxury apartment in District 2, she attended events, worked as an MC and acted in movies...

According to VNE