Two journalists arrested for extorting money from businesses.
Pham Gia Thanh and Dang Hai Nam were arrested by authorities while extorting money from a business.
On the morning of April 2nd, information from the Criminal Police Department of Ha Tinh Provincial Police indicated that the Investigation Agency had initiated a case, indicted the suspects, and ordered a 4-month temporary detention for Pham Gia Thanh (born in 1993, residing in Tung Lam village, Nam Dien commune, Thach Ha district), a journalist for the Open Sky Magazine, and Dang Hai Nam (born in 1981, residing in Block 2, Nam Ha ward, Ha Tinh city, Ha Tinh province), a reporter for the Business Magazine, on charges of "Extortion".
Thanh and Nam were arrested while using their journalistic activities to extort 10,000,000 VND from a business in Huong Khe town, Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh province.
According to initial information, Pham Gia Thanh and Dang Hai Nam exploited their journalistic activities to investigate issues concerning agencies, organizations, and individuals in Ha Tinh province.
Afterward, Thanh and Nam would contact and report these issues to relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals with the aim of exerting pressure and threatening to write articles for publication in newspapers.
Fearing that articles published in newspapers would damage their reputation and honor, the individuals and organizations involved had to meet with and give money to Thanh and Nam. The extorted money was then split equally between Thanh and Nam.
Using the aforementioned scheme, from approximately December 2023 to March 27, 2024, Pham Gia Thanh and Dang Hai Nam embezzled nearly 100 million VND from six individuals and construction companies working on projects in Ha Tinh province.
Any agencies, organizations, or individuals who have been subjected to psychological intimidation and property seizure by Pham Gia Thanh and Dang Hai Nam through the use of journalism should contact the Criminal Police Department of Ha Tinh Provincial Police, located at 268 Nguyen Huy Tu Street, Nguyen Du Ward, Ha Tinh City, Ha Tinh Province, or investigator Dau Viet Dung – Phone number 0983038486.