Former Minister Nguyen Thanh Long prosecuted for allegedly receiving a bribe of 2.25 million USD

The Supreme People's Procuracy has just completed the indictment to prosecute 38 defendants in the case of Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste; Violating regulations on bidding causing serious consequences; Giving bribes; Receiving bribes; Taking advantage of positions and powers while performing official duties; Taking advantage of influence over people with positions and powers for personal gain occurring at Viet A Joint Stock Company and related units.

These 38 people were prosecuted for the crimes of: Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste; Violating regulations on bidding causing serious consequences; Giving bribes; Receiving bribes; Taking advantage of positions and powers while performing official duties; and Taking advantage of influence over people with positions and powers for personal gain.

In relation to the case, defendants Phan Quoc Viet (Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Viet A Company) and Vu Dinh Hiep (Deputy General Director of Viet A Company) were prosecuted for violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences and giving bribes.

Of which, the Chairman of Viet A was accused of giving bribes of more than 106 billion VND; the Deputy General Director of Viet A Company was accused of giving bribes of more than 32 billion VND.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long (former Minister of Health) was accused of receiving a bribe of 2.25 million USD (equivalent to more than 51 billion VND).

In addition, 5 other defendants were accused of receiving bribes, including: Mr. Pham Duy Tuyen, Director of CDC Hai Duong, received a bribe of 27 billion VND; Mr. Trinh Thanh Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology for Economic and Technical Sectors (Ministry of Science and Technology) received a bribe of 350,000 USD (equivalent to more than 8 billion VND);

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan, former Director of the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction (Ministry of Health) received a bribe of 300,000 USD (equivalent to more than 6.9 billion VND); Mr. Nguyen Huynh, Deputy Head of the Drug Price Management Department (Department of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health; former Secretary of the Deputy Minister of Health) received a bribe of more than 53 billion VND (of which, more than 49 billion VND was transferred to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long and 4 billion VND was used personally).

Mr. Nguyen Nam Lien, Director of the Department of Financial Planning (Ministry of Health) received a bribe of 100,000 USD (equivalent to more than 2.3 billion VND).

Among those prosecuted are Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh (former Minister of Science and Technology), Pham Cong Tac (former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology), Nguyen Van Trinh (former official of the Government Office)...

The investigation agency determined that Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long had abused his position and power to violate the provisions of law in granting registration numbers, negotiating prices, and checking negotiated prices for COVID-19 test kits, causing especially serious damage to state assets.

Mr. Long had a role in implementing and supervising epidemic prevention work, but he committed violations related to the case of Viet A Company bribing officials to collude to inflate the price of COVID-19 test kits.