Trial of Ms. Truong My Lan: Summoning more than 2,400 people, calling on 5 defendants to surrender
In the upcoming trial of Ms. Truong My Lan and her accomplices, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court has summoned more than 2,400 people. At the same time, the court also called on 5 defendants involved in the case to surrender to receive leniency from the law.
As planned, on March 5, Ho Chi Minh City People's Court will open the first instance trial for the defendant.Truong My Lan(68 years old, Chairman of Van Thinh Phat Group) and her husband Chu Lap Co (68 years old) and 84 defendants for the crimes of "Embezzlement of property", "Giving bribes", "Receiving bribes", "Violating regulations on lending in the activities of credit institutions", "Abusing positions and powers while performing official duties", "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" and "Abuse of trust to appropriate property".
Regarding the case, the Court summoned 2,404 people with related rights and obligations, including legal entities borrowing and receiving money at Saigon Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SCB), individuals at the State Bank; individuals in the name of companies, borrowers, and mortgaged assets at SCB, making deposits and withdrawals; individuals belonging to the group of SCB bank officers and other people with related rights and obligations.
In addition, the court also issued a notice calling on five defendants, former leaders of SCB bank, who are wanted in connection with the case at Van Thinh Phat, to surrender.
Specifically, including: Dinh Van Thanh (former Chairman of the Board of Directors), Chiem Minh Dung (former Deputy General Director), Tram Thich Ton (member of the Board of Directors), Nguyen Thi Thu Suong (former Chairman of the Board of Directors), Nguyen Lam Anh Vu (former Deputy Director of Ben Thanh Branch).
"By this notice, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court calls on the above defendants to surrender to enjoy the leniency policy of the Party and the State, and to cooperate with the prosecution agencies to ensure the right to defense and the right to self-defense as prescribed in Articles 16 and 61 of the 2015 Criminal Procedure Code. In case the defendants do not appear or surrender, they will be considered to have waived the right to self-defense and will be tried in absentia," the notice stated.
According to the accusation, from 2012 to October 2022, Ms. Truong My Lan acquired and practically held almost all of SCB's shares (from 85-91.5% of shares), thereby becoming a "powerful" shareholder. Ms. Lan used her power to direct, operate, and essentially manipulate all of SCB's operations to serve her various purposes.
Ms. Truong My Lan and many accomplices carried out a series of acts including: Selecting and arranging her trusted personnel for key positions at SCB; Establishing a number of units under SCB specializing in lending and disbursing according to Ms. Lan's requests; Establishing and using thousands of "ghost" companies, hiring many individuals; colluding with individuals who are leaders of many related businesses to commit crimes.
At the same time, Ms. Lan and her accomplices also colluded with many valuation companies to inflate the value of collateral; created a large number of fake loan applications to withdraw money from SCB; created plans to withdraw money, "cut off" the cash flow after disbursement....
The accusation is that from January 1, 2012 to October 7, 2022, the Chairman of Van Thinh Phat Group created a large number of fake loan applications to withdraw exceptionally large sums of money.
Specifically, from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2017, Ms. Truong My Lan directed the creation of 368 fake loan applications to withdraw money from SCB bank for various purposes. As of October 17, 2022, the outstanding debt was VND 132,247 billion, with no possibility of recovery.
Ms. Truong My Lan's actions caused losses to SCB bank of more than 64,621 billion VND.
From February 9, 2018 to October 7, 2022, Ms. Truong My Lan directed the creation of 916 fake loan applications, appropriating more than VND 304,096 billion from SCB bank, causing a loss of more than VND 129,372 billion.