Authorities have seized hundreds of billions of dong worth of assets belonging to two gambling kingpins.

The People's Procuracy of Phu Tho province has just completed the indictment in the multi-billion dollar gambling case that occurred in the province. According to the indictment, among the 92 defendants preparing to stand trial are Mr. Phan Van Vinh (former Director General of the General Department of Police) and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa (former Director of the High-Tech Crime Prevention Police Department) - Ministry of Public Security. These two defendants are prosecuted for abusing their positions and powers while performing their official duties, under point a, clause 2, Article 356 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017).

Mr. Phan Van Vinh (Photo: Zing.vn).

The alleged ringleaders of this multi-billion dollar gambling ring are Nguyen Van Duong (Chairman of the Board of Directors of High-Tech Security Development Investment Company Limited - CNC) and his accomplice Phan Sao Nam (Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of VTC Online Company), both of whom are being prosecuted for two crimes: Organizing gambling and Money laundering.

Ninety-two defendants are about to stand trial on six charges, including organizing gambling, gambling, illegal trading of invoices, money laundering, using the internet to commit acts of property appropriation, and abusing official position and power while performing official duties.

Authorities temporarily seized and confiscated 4 cars and 2 savings accounts worth 150 billion VND.Nguyen Van Duong

To date, the Security Investigation Agency has seized and confiscated numerous assets belonging to gambling kingpin Nguyen Van Duong (Chairman of the Board of Directors of High-Tech Security Development Investment Company Limited - CNC). These include related documents, two savings passbooks totaling 150 billion VND, approximately 95 million VND, 1,327 USD, and 32,000 Rupiah seized during searches, four vehicles of various types, and over 8 billion VND frozen in bank accounts.

Nguyen Van Duong (wearing glasses) and Phan Sao Nam. (Photo: Ministry of Public Security's official website).

In addition, Nguyen Van Duong gave Nguyen Thanh Hoa approximately 20 billion VND, C50 of the Ministry of Public Security 700 million VND, and antivirus software worth 30,000 USD. However, the indictment states that Nguyen Van Duong did indeed give C50 of the Ministry of Public Security 700 million VND and antivirus software worth 30,000 USD, while the assets Nguyen Van Duong gave to Phan Van Vinh and Nguyen Thanh Hoa have not been clarified and have been separated; they will be dealt with later when clarified.

During the investigation, the suspect's wife voluntarily submitted over 4 billion VND to the Security Investigation Agency to mitigate the consequences, and Duong voluntarily sold the CNC company headquarters, contributing approximately 61 billion VND.

Authorities seized 5 cars and froze 13 apartment purchase contracts belonging to Phan Sào Nam.

Regarding the dismantled multi-billion dollar gambling ring, the Security Investigation Agency of the Phu Tho Provincial Police is currently holding over 821 billion VND from Phan Sao Nam (Chairman and Director of VTC Online Company), freezing nearly 77 billion VND in related bank accounts, seizing two houses valued at 12.4 billion VND according to contracts, freezing 13 apartment purchase contracts worth over 139 billion VND, and temporarily seizing five vehicles of various types.

Two boxes containing money were seized at a hiding place belonging to Phan Sao Nam in Quang Ninh. (Photo: Public Security Newspaper).

During the investigation, Phan Sao Nam actively worked to mitigate the consequences, initially making sincere confessions, showing remorse, and actively assisting in the investigation and detection of crimes.