Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung was identified as the mastermind behind his son's company's monopoly on chemical sales.

Also proposed for prosecution with Mr. Chung are Mr. Vo Tien Hung (former General Director of Hanoi Drainage Company Limited - Drainage Company) and Nguyen Truong Giang (Director of Arktic Trading and Service Company Limited - Arktic Company).

According to investigation documents, in 2009, Hanoi People's Committee plannedpollution treatmentenvironmental issues in the area. The city's authorities have repeatedly tested the treatment of water pollution in rivers, canals, and lakes in districts and counties. By the end of 2015, the Drainage Company had a report summarizing the testing sessions and requested many departments and branches to report to the City People's Committee to replicate the pollution treatment model. However, at that time, the Hanoi People's Committee did not respond.

Defendant Nguyen Duc Chung.

In May 2016, Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung decided to buy Redoxy 3C from Watch Water GmbH (Germany) to replace the chemicals he was using. Accordingly, Mr. Chung sent a working group to Germany to work, negotiate, and place an order with Watch Water GmbH and decided to choose Redoxy 3C.

Among the members of the working delegation, defendant Nguyen Truong Giang - the person whose name is on 60% of the shares of Arktic Company - although not an official of the Hanoi People's Committee, Giang was sent by Mr. Chung to Germany during the entire process of visiting, working, surveying, exchanging, and negotiating with partners to buy Redoxy 3C products with the purpose of creating conditions and position for Giang to sign exclusive rights, import from the products and sell to the Hanoi People's Committee.

It is known that Arktic Company was established by Ms. Nguyen Thi Truc Chi Hoa (Mr. Chung's wife) with a capital of 5 billion VND (100% capital) and registered the business under the name of her son, Nguyen Duc Hanh. After that, Ms. Hoa asked Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Hang to own 40% of the charter capital on behalf of her family. Meanwhile, Nguyen Truong Giang owned 60% of the charter capital and was also the Director.

Defendant Vo Tien Hung.

In August 2016, Mr. Chung issued a document instructing the Drainage Company to purchase Redoxy 3C directly from Watch Water GmbH. Although the written instruction was to purchase the chemical directly from the manufacturer, Mr. Chung verbally instructed Mr. Vo Tien Hung to purchase the product through Arktic Company, not directly from the company as stated in the document.

With the above actions, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency determined that Mr. Chung's motive was to direct the General Director of Hanoi Drainage Company Limited - Drainage Company to buy Redoxy 3C through Arktic Company so that this company could enjoy an illegitimate profit. The investigation agency also clarified that the price of Redoxy 3C chemical directly from Watch Water GmbH sold to Hanoi City was only 8.5 Euro/1 kg but purchased through Arktic Company (at a price of 295,000 VND/1 kg to 326,000 VND/1 kg), bringing an illegitimate benefit to Arktic Company of more than 36 billion VND.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency also determined that Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung asked Nguyen Truong Giang to take the profits from Arktic Company to give gifts and sponsor a number of agencies and organizations such as Xanh Pon Hospital, Yen Khe Kindergarten in Thanh Ba District, Phu Tho Province or FPT University, in order to polish his image and reputation, serving Mr. Chung's personal purposes.

The investigation conclusion clearly stated that "The third transfer of capital contribution by Arktic Company from Nguyen Duc Hanh to defendants Nguyen Truong Giang and Nguyen Thi Bich Hang (July 26, 2016), and the sixth move of headquarters out of Minh Hoa Supermarket by defendant Chung's family are tricks to evade responsibility".

In addition, according to the investigation conclusion, defendant Nguyen Duc Chung was the mastermind in stopping the use of old chemicals to buy new chemicals; directed in writing the exclusive consumption of Redoxy 3C products, intervened in the advance payment, inspection, facilitated, and covered up the purchase and sale of Redoxy 3C products by Arktic Company.

The investigation agency determined that the criminal acts of the defendant Nguyen Duc Chung were using sophisticated and cunning tricks (oral instructions contrary to written instructions), legalizing legal documents, blaming others, taking advantage of his position and authority to force subordinates to conceal his criminal acts. According to the conclusion, during the investigation, the defendant Nguyen Duc Chung gave a evasive statement and denied his crime.

The investigation agency assessed that the behavior of the defendant Nguyen Duc Chung, in addition to causing damage to the Hanoi People's Committee for the benefit of his family company, also affected the proper operation of organizations and individuals, seriously affecting the reputation and image of the Hanoi People's Committee and the leader of Hanoi. Therefore, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency requested the prosecution and trial agencies to consider determining the aggravating circumstances according to the law for the defendant Nguyen Duc Chung during the prosecution and trial process.