Consecutive arrests of many reporters receiving money from businesses

(Baonghean.vn) - Recently, many officials and reporters of newspapers have been arrested for receiving money, extorting property, and threatening people and businesses.

1. Caught VOV reporter extorting property

On August 7, the Criminal Police Department, Dak Lak Provincial Police confirmed that they are temporarily detaining Mr. Nguyen The Thang (born in 1976, residing in Hoa Thang commune, Buon Ma Thuot city), a reporter for VOV in the Central Highlands region, to investigate and handle the act of "extortion of property".

Reporters receive money from businesses.

At the same time, the police also urgently arrested another person believed to be an accomplice of Mr. Thang, Hoang Van Thanh (born 1982, residing in Tu An ward, Buon Ma Thuot city) for the same act.

Initial information determined that at 6:45 p.m. on August 4, the provincial police force caught Mr. Thang red-handed in the act of extorting 45 million VND from two individuals, Mr. Tran Quang P (born in 1988, residing on Phan Chu Trinh Street, Buon Ma Thuot City) and Dinh Thanh H (born in 1984, residing in Cu Ebur Commune, Buon Ma Thuot City).

Initially, the police determined that Mr. Thang took advantage of his professional activities and colluded with Mr. Thanh to extort property from two individuals as mentioned above.

2. Arrested reporter receiving hundreds of millions from business

At 8:00 p.m. on August 6, at Hoa Cau coffee shop, Hai Ba Trung street, Ninh Kieu district (Can Tho), Can Tho City Police caught Pham Le Hoang Uyen (born in 1976, currently a reporter for Career Guidance and Integration Magazine) red-handed receiving money from two real estate companies (headquartered in Hau Giang province) in the amount of VND 280 million.

Reporter Pham Le Hoang Uyen.

Through initial investigation and verification, from July 31 to August 4, the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Newspaper published 3 articles with the titles: "Following the traces of the line mobilizing 600 billion VND for a "ghost" project"; "Cicada shedding its shell" and "Drawing a 1,000 billion VND tourist area with words".

After the articles were published, Uyen informed the Director of the relevant enterprise that if they wanted to remove the 3 articles above, they had to pay Uyen 700 million VND. If they were slow, the newspaper would continue to publish another article, and if they wanted to remove them, the amount would be 1 billion VND. After agreeing on the above amount, Uyen went from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho to receive the money and was caught red-handed.

Can Tho City Police have decided to temporarily detain Uyen for further investigation.

3. Reporter of Vietnam Education Newspaper arrested in Yen Bai

At 12:45 on June 22, Yen Bai City Police caught Le Duy Phong - Head of the Readers' Committee of Vietnam Education Newspaper, red-handed for taking advantage of journalistic activities to receive money from businesses.

Reporter Nguyen Duy Phong (white shirt) when arrested.

On June 23, Yen Bai City Police issued decisions to prosecute the case, prosecute the accused and issue a temporary detention order against Le Duy Phong to investigate the crime of abusing position and power to appropriate property under Article 280 of the Penal Code. These decisions were approved by the People's Procuracy of the same level on June 25.

According to Yen Bai City Police, at the time of the arrest, the police determined that Le Duy Phong received 50 million VND from the business, however, he refused to disclose the information of this business because he believed it was necessary to protect the victim's information.

In addition, according to initial statements, Phong also received hundreds of millions of dong from a number of other individuals and businesses in the area.

4. Arrested 3 officers and reporters of Business and Law Newspaper for threatening people

On March 25, Hong Bang District Police, Hai Phong City announced that they had just arrested 3 officers and reporters of the Representative Office of the Business and Law Newspaper in Hai Phong, namely Phan Van Thuong (44 years old, office manager); Phan Thanh Long (26 years old, employee); and Pham Van Tan (27 years old, reporter) to investigate the act of extortion.

3 officers and reporters of Business and Law Newspaper were arrested.

At 5:10 p.m. on March 24, Phan Thanh Long was caught red-handed by Hong Bang District Police receiving money from Ms. Dao Thi Dai (in May To Ward, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City) after threatening Ms. Dai that if she did not pay the money, she would publish in the newspaper that her family violated construction regulations. Expanding the investigation, Hong Bang District Police continued to arrest Phan Van Thuong and Pham Van Tan. Searching the residences and workplaces of the subjects, the police seized many related documents and evidence.

According to initial information from the police, Phan Van Thuong, as Head of the representative office of the Business and Law Newspaper in Hai Phong, organized reporters and collaborators to monitor violations by people and organizations in the fields of housing construction, tutoring, etc. and asked for "support" of about 10 million VND per case, otherwise it would be published in the newspaper. These activities took place over a long period of time, with high frequency.

5. Arresting a reporter from Bao Ve Phap Luat newspaper for embezzling corporate money

On June 15, 2016, the Nghe An Police Investigation Agency announced that it had issued a decision to prosecute and temporarily detain Bui Van Toan (36 years old, residing in Hanoi), a reporter for Bao Ve Phap Luat newspaper, to investigate the act of extortion.

Two subjects Thoa and Quan at the police station.

Previously, the Nghe An Police Investigation Agency prosecuted and temporarily detained Nguyen Gia Thoa (27 years old, residing in Hanoi) and Phan Van Quan (42 years old, residing in Yen Thanh District, Nghe An) to investigate the act of extortion.

On April 1, Thoa and Quan called the director of a company in Nghe An, claiming to be reporters and demanding 50 million VND, otherwise they would publish an article reflecting on the violations of this company. Late that same day, when the two were receiving 20 million VND from the owner of the above-mentioned company, they were arrested.

Searching Quan and Thoa's car, the police seized an additional 24 million VND in 2 envelopes and a letter of introduction issued by the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Protection Newspaper on February 29, 2016 to Nguyen Gia Thoa, with the content "Representative of the Law Protection Newspaper on information and propaganda".

Ngoc Lan

(Synthetic)