Le Van Lanh (63), a reporter for Nguoi Cao Tuoi magazine, his son Le Gia Bao, and Nguyen Tuan Anh are named in the indictment recently finalized by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Procuracy. The indictment, along with the case file, has been forwarded to the court for trial on charges of extortion.
According to the indictment, Le Van Lanh worked as a reporter for several news agencies before joining Nguoi Cao Tuoi magazine.
The prosecution alleges that Lanh knew many traffic police officers were apprehensive about being filmed or recorded while on duty. This prompted him to devise a plan to use images of perceived professional errors to exert pressure and demand money.
Since 2021, Lanh frequently followed patrol teams from the Ho Chi Minh City Police Traffic Police Department, secretly filming and photographing situations deemed to have procedural shortcomings during interactions with violators, such as arguments, raised voices, or incorrect procedures. He then met with the commanders of the involved traffic police teams to apply pressure and demand money.
Initially, Lanh personally received cash. By early 2023, as the number of targeted individuals grew, he invited his son Le Gia Bao and Nguyen Tuan Anh to join him in collecting money, assisting with filming and recording the task forces.
On the afternoon of 22/4/2025, Nguyen Tuan Anh was driving Bao on Vo Van Kiet Street when they were stopped by the Cho Lon traffic police team for failing to signal a turn. During the inspection, both claimed to be journalists, presenting a letter of introduction from Nguoi Cao Tuoi magazine, but they did not possess journalist cards and were therefore invited to the station for questioning.
According to the indictment, a check of Bao's phone revealed numerous money transfers linked to traffic police officers in various localities. Bao stated that this was money the officers sent monthly to prevent the group from filming and recording their duties.
Following this, the Traffic Police Department transferred the case file to the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigative Agency for investigation into extortion.
Authorities also allege that the group instructed each other on how to intentionally commit traffic violations to be stopped by traffic police, using this as an excuse to record the officers' work. These videos were then used to exert pressure.
Money was transferred through multiple accounts registered under Bao, Tuan Anh, and acquaintances, with descriptions such as "buy newspaper", "rice money", or "transfer to Lanh" to conceal its origin.
The investigation determined that from 1/2023 to 4/2025, Le Van Lanh and his accomplices allegedly extorted money from 30 traffic police officers, receiving 2 to 7 million VND monthly, totaling over 1.5 billion VND.
At the investigative agency, the defendants admitted their actions. According to the indictment, their statements are consistent with bank statements, seized evidence, and the testimonies of involved individuals.
Binh Nguyen
