Debt collector threatens to blow up elementary school

Regarding the case of millions of people being victims of a debt collection organization disguised as Phap Viet Law Company Limited, the People's Procuracy of Cai Lay town has reported the case to the Chief Prosecutor of Tien Giang Province People's Procuracy.

According to the report, in 2019, Mr. Nguyen Van B. (born in 1986, in Tien Giang) borrowed 50 million VND from Orient Commercial Bank (OCB) but was unable to repay.

Around July 2022, OCB transferred Mr. B's loan contract to Phap Viet Law Company Limited to collect the above debt. Legally, this company was established for the purpose of providing legal assistance, but disguised as debt collection for banks when requested.

Crime scene of the search of Phap Viet Law Company Limited. (Photo: Tien Giang Police)

The employee directly collecting debt from Mr. B. is Ha Thi Hiep (born in 1990, in Ho Chi Minh City).

The declaration was delivered by the company.loan contract debt collectionMr. B. At first, Hiep threatened to kill Mr. B's children and relatives. Because he was so scared, Mr. B. paid OCB 10 million VND.

Because Mr. B. did not continue to pay his debt, Hiep texted and called to threaten Mr. B. and his family. Hiep and his accomplice Nguyen Thanh Hai (born 1988) also searched for information about Mr. B.'s relatives.

Upon receiving information about Mr. B.'s nephew, Nguyen Ngoc HT (born in 2014, a primary school student in Cai Lay town), on October 26, 2022, Hiep used 3 phone numbers to call and text T.'s homeroom teacher and the school's Board of Directors, asking T. to stop going to school so that the family could settle the debt, otherwise he would not leave the teachers' families alone.

On October 27, 2022, Hiep continued to call a gas store in Cai Lay town, demanding that a gas cylinder be delivered to T.'s school and calling the teacher to come and receive the cylinder, otherwise he would blow up the entire school.

The incident was then reported to the police by the school board. During the investigation, the investigation agency seized the gas cylinder.

According to the statements of the related subjects, Phap Viet Law Company Limited has 15 debt collection groups, each group has a team leader to monitor, urge and supervise the debt collection staff. The results of debt collection will be reported to the company's leaders and department heads for salary and bonus payment.

The company pays each employee 6 million VND/month, and if they collect a lot of debt, they will be paid a big bonus.

The investigation agency is working with about 133 subjects and seized 190 desktop CPUs, 1 laptop and many archived documents related to the case.

Previously, on February 27, Tien Giang Provincial Police said they were investigating a case of a criminal organization "disguised" as a law firm to carry out acts of intimidation and terrorism to extort property. Police searched the headquarters of Phap Viet Law Company Limited (headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City) led by defendants Tran Van Chau (43 years old) and Ho Quoc Hung (36 years old, both Deputy Directors).