Fraudulent job appropriation of 3.2 billion VND, sentenced to 15 years in prison

On the morning of March 15, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened a criminal trial, the first instance trial of Nguyen Dai Hien (41 years old, former police major, residing in Vinh city, Nghe An) prosecuted for fraud and property appropriation.

According to the indictment of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province, Hien was formerly an officer of Prison Camp No. 6 - Ministry of Public Security (located in Thanh Chuong district) and then transferred to work at the Political Work Department of Nghe An Provincial Police. Before being prosecuted, Hien had left the army.

Defendant Nguyen Dai Hien at the first instance trial. Photo: Khanh An

Before 2014, due to borrowing from many people and not being able to pay, in order to have money to pay off the debt as well as spend, Hien used fake (photocopied) documents of police leaders at all levels to create a recruitment examination at Nghe An Provincial Police Hospital to gain the trust of the victims and then receive money for job placement. Hien received money from many people but had not yet applied for anyone and made a commitment to the victims to go to work on the day of the decision.

From 2014 to June 2016, Hien defrauded 8 victims in Nghe An and Ha Tinh, with a total amount of more than 3.2 billion VND.

Of which, Hien appropriated 600 million VND from Ms. Nguyen Thi Van, 90 million VND from Ms. Tran Thi Thom, 452 million VND from Mr. Nguyen Thai Duong, 800 million VND from Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Loan, 164 million VND from Mr. Bui Tuan Phuc, 500 million VND from Ms. Cu Thi Thanh Hien, 465 million VND from Mr. Le Anh Thoi, and 200 million VND from Mr. Le Ngoc Hung.

In addition, the indictment stated that Hien also used a fake health certificate to commit the crime. The Nghe An Police Investigation Agency has decided to prosecute the case of forging seals and documents of organizations and agencies and will continue to investigate and handle it later.

At the trial, Hien stated that the defendant was prosecuted correctly, but there was also a related person, Ms. Tran Thi Phuong Chi (residing in Vinh City). Hien stated that all the files, papers, and money received from the victims had been fully transferred to Ms. Phuong Chi. Hien stated that the total of 30 money transfers was more than 7.8 billion VND.

The defendant also confirmed that all photocopied documents of police leaders of various units as well as the health certificate from Nghe An Provincial Police Hospital that Hien gave to the victim were given to Hien by Phuong Chi. Hien did not know that these were fake documents. In addition, there was also a related person, Mr. Chu Van Thoai (residing in Vinh City).

The lawyer defending the rights of defendant Hien and some victims said that Ms. Chi was related to the case, so he requested the panel of judges to return the case file and request to prosecute Ms. Chi as an accomplice with Hien.

The representative of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province said that in order to not let any criminals escape, during the investigation, the investigating agency had a confrontation between Hien and Ms. Phuong Chi. The victim handed over the money directly to Hien, not to Ms. Phuong Chi and Mr. Chu Van Thoai, and Phuong Chi had no intention of appropriating it. After failing to find a job, she returned the money in full.

The panel of judges said that during the process of studying the file, the People's Court of Nghe An province decided to return file No. 01 requesting consideration of criminal responsibility for Ms. Phuong Chi and Mr. Chu Van Thoai, but the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province responded in writing that there was no basis for consideration.

After considering aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the People's Court of Nghe An province sentenced defendant Hien to 15 years in prison for fraud and property appropriation, and ordered Hien to return the money he had appropriated./.