Message from a fugitive who had to live in hiding because of gambling
Addicted to gambling, the chairman of the commune’s farmers’ association “stole” more than 1 billion VND from selling fertilizer and then fled. Under the “cover” of another name, Nguyen Duc Thanh quickly went abroad and lived in hiding for more than 10 years. Only when he was handcuffed did the fugitive regret his mistakes. At the trial, the man who had lost everything to gambling had some words of advice.
"Stealing" billions and then escaping arrest
The People's Court of Nghe An province has just opened a trial for defendant Nguyen Duc Thanh (61 years old), residing in Nghi Thach commune, Nghi Loc district, for the crime of "Abusing power and position to appropriate property". Although the case happened more than ten years ago, the defendant still clearly remembers the tricks he carried out. Because for many years, although he has been on the run, this subject has not stopped feeling remorseful.
Back to the incident that year. In 2011, Nguyen Duc Thanh was the Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghi Thach Commune. Although he was not assigned the task of supplying fertilizer to farmers for production, Thanh still signed a contract in the name of the association's chairman to supply more than 224 tons of fertilizer (equivalent to nearly 1.1 billion VND) to the private enterprise T.D. in the form of deferred payment.
After receiving fertilizer from the company, Thanh sold a portion to households, and transported the rest to agricultural supply stores in Nghi Loc district to sell at prices lower than the market price. When the time came to pay the company according to the contract, Thanh continuously delayed. After that, the Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Nghi Thach commune "took" nearly 1.1 billion VND from selling fertilizer and then fled.
When he learned that the incident had been exposed, Thanh created a new "cover" for himself to escape to Malaysia. After that, he was wanted by the police. His life after the days of "being wanted" was a series of long days of wandering in a foreign land. It was thought that after long months, his criminal behavior would be in the past. But no, the investigation agency continued to search and fight to bring the criminal to light. After more than 10 years of hiding, Thanh was arrested and handcuffed on January 21, 2024.
With the above actions, Nguyen Duc Thanh was prosecuted and brought to trial for the crime of Abuse of power and position to appropriate property. At the trial, the defendant admitted to the crime as charged in the indictment. The defendant stated that due to gambling and lottery, he was in debt. Therefore, the defendant took risks, using the money from selling fertilizer to play lottery and for personal expenses.
Message from someone who used to gamble
Regarding his escape from arrest, the defendant Thanh said that after spending all his money from selling fertilizer on lottery, he fled the area when he realized that his actions had been discovered. Before that, Thanh had promptly created a new “cover” for himself. Somehow, Thanh used his younger brother’s documents to make a passport and easily left the country for Malaysia.
“After a while there, I learned that the police had issued a wanted notice for me. At that time, I realized that my actions had caused serious consequences. However, because I was afraid, I did not dare to return and surrender,” Thanh confessed.
During his escape abroad, the defendant claimed to have made a living by picking fruit. After more than 10 years of being on the run, he tried to inquire about the situation in his homeland. Thanh said that there were many sleepless nights thinking, “Should I continue to live like this for the rest of my life, especially when I am old and sick?” Despite his torment and anxiety, the fugitive did not have the courage to face the law.
During his time on the run, the fugitive admitted that he had returned to Vietnam for medical treatment. To avoid detection, Thanh did not return to Nghe An but chose another location to be hospitalized and treated. When his health recovered, the fugitive continued to travel abroad.
Until one day in early 2024, Thanh was arrested by the police when he returned to the country and hid in a motel. Only then did the fugitive dare to confront the truth, the crimes he had committed.
At the trial, the defendant expressed remorse. He stated: “I am very remorseful for losing so much money, reputation… When I woke up, everything was gone.” Thanh also expressed regret for running away that day and having to live in hiding and wandering for many years. “If I had dared to face it and not run away, things might have been different now,” Thanh said sadly.
Having the last word before the court deliberated, the defendant advised everyone to “not get involved in gambling” and to always live according to the law. The male defendant explained that playing the lottery and gambling only leads to losses and no gains.
That is also what the Jury reminded the people attending the court. Because as our ancestors used to say, “gambling is the uncle of poverty”, no one gets rich from gambling. Getting involved in gambling will have no future, lose money, trade off family happiness, even fall into prison...
As for defendant Nguyen Duc Thanh, for the crime of Abusing power to appropriate property, the panel of judges sentenced him to 13 years in prison. Regarding the civil part, the court ordered the defendant to return the amount of money he had appropriated to the victim (minus the 230 million VND already compensated).
Hopefully, this defendant's confessions will be a warning lesson for those who have been, are, or intend to be involved in gambling, to know how to stop in time.