On the afternoon of 7/4, Nguyen Le Minh (50 years old, also known as director Le Minh) and Tran Quoc Thang (45 years old, Minh's driver) were scheduled to be tried by the People's Court of Area 4, Ho Chi Minh City, for property extortion. However, the trial was postponed after their defense lawyer filed a prior request. Both have been in temporary detention since September 2024.

Le Minh is known as a director and cinematographer who has made many television series, including Doc suong mu, Lac mat linh hon, Bi mat chon vui, and Vuc tham vo hinh. He has worked in television for many years, collaborating with numerous renowned artists.

Director Le Minh (right) on set while filming a Tet production. Photo: Ngoisao.vnexpress.net

According to the indictment, the director knew and had a close relationship with Ms. Chau, an imported wine businesswoman, since 2016. Many years ago, he had lent Ms. Chau money multiple times, interest-free, to help her expand her business.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, facing financial difficulties, the director sought repayment of the debt, which both parties agreed amounted to approximately 750 million VND. However, Ms. Chau repeatedly evaded him.

Subsequently, Minh filed a lawsuit in a court in Ba Ria - Vung Tau. The court recognized the agreement between the parties, ordering Ms. Chau to pay him 730 million VND. However, due to prolonged enforcement, she repeatedly deferred payment, promising to pay 10-15 million VND monthly but failing to do so. The director grew frustrated.

According to the investigation, on the afternoon of 4/9/2024, Minh prepared red paint and shrimp paste in a nylon bag, then asked his driver Thang to take him to Ms. Chau's house in the former Tan Binh district. There, both threw the bag of foul substances into the victim's house before leaving.

During questioning by investigators, the defendant admitted that due to economic pressure and prolonged debt collection, he had thrown the foul substances to "create pressure" and compel Ms. Chau to repay the debt.

The victim submitted a request not to pursue criminal charges, asked for a reduced sentence, and did not demand compensation. The prosecuting authority, however, deemed the actions of the two defendants to have negatively impacted local security and order, thus requiring strict handling.

Binh Nguyen