By selling counterfeit gold, a couple pocketed half a billion VND in a month.
Many gold shops in Quang Nam province fell victim to scams, buying fake bracelets and necklaces from counterfeit gold dealers. The amount of money these scammers stole totaled over 500 million VND in just one month.
 |
| The suspects are Phan Van Hoan and Dang Thi Hoa Diem. |
The Quang Nam Provincial People's Court recently held a first-instance trial and sentenced Phan Van Hoan (born in 1985, residing in Muong Hoong commune, Dak Lay district, Kon Tum province) to 15 years in prison and Dang Thi Hoa Diem (born in 1985, residing in Tan Son commune, Pleiku city, Gia Lai province) to 5 years in prison for the crime of fraud and appropriation of property.
According to the indictment, between April 9, 2016, and May 11, 2016, Hoan colluded with Diem and Pham Ngoc Tuan (born in 1994, residing in My Thach 3 village, Chu Se town, Chu Se district, Gia Lai province) to sell 15 fake necklaces and 9 fake bracelets to gold shops in Quang Nam province, defrauding them of over 500 million VND.
Specifically, Hoan directly sold one fake necklace, appropriating 31.5 million VND; Hoan gave one fake necklace and one fake bracelet to Tuan to sell, appropriating over 31 million VND; Hoan gave items to Diem to hold and sell seven times (13 fake necklaces, 7 fake bracelets), appropriating over 480 million VND.
On June 11, 2016, while Diem was selling a fake bracelet (given to her by Hoan) to Ngoc Truong gold shop (Tam Hai commune, Nui Thanh district), she was discovered and the bracelet was confiscated. Hoan managed and used all the stolen money, and Diem only received 20 million VND from Hoan.
According to the indictment, Phan Van Hoan is criminally liable for the entire amount of money he embezzled from the seven victims, totaling over 500 million VND; Dang Thi Hoa Diem is criminally liable for the amount of money she embezzled in each instance, totaling 480 million VND.
At the trial, the panel of judges sentenced defendant Phan Van Hoan to 15 years in prison and Dang Thi Hoa Diem to 5 years in prison for fraud and appropriation of property. As for Tuan, due to insufficient evidence to prosecute him in the same case, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Quang Nam Provincial Police separated his involvement for further investigation.
