On 3/7, the Hue City People's Court sentenced Le Anh Phuong (52), former director of Hue University and former rector of Hue University of Education, to 13 years in prison. Nguyen Van Vinh, former deputy head of the postgraduate training department at Hue University of Education, received a 6-year prison sentence. Both were convicted of abusing their positions and power to appropriate assets. The court also ordered the two defendants to return the appropriated money to over 1,000 postgraduate students.

Le Anh Phuong at the trial on 12/1. Photo: Vo Thanh

According to the indictment, the case involved two postgraduate courses, K29 and K30, offered by Hue University of Education in 2020 and 2021. A B1 level English certificate was a mandatory graduation requirement for students. Despite Hue University of Education lacking the authority to provide training or conduct exams for this certificate, Phuong, as rector, instructed Vinh to collect applications and fees from students.

Students were charged 7,5 million VND each for the certificate, an amount significantly higher than the 4,9 million VND fee stipulated by Hue University of Foreign Languages, the accredited testing unit for B1 certificates.

Previously, Hue University of Foreign Languages offered B1 certificate review courses and exams for a total cost of 4,9 million VND per student, comprising 3,7 million VND for review and 1,2 million VND for the exam fee. Phan Thanh Tien, deputy head of the training department at Hue University of Foreign Languages, was responsible for promoting these services to member schools. In 2020, Tien and Phuong agreed that Hue University of Foreign Languages would rebate 30% of the review course fees to support Hue University of Education.

The presiding judge announced the sentences for Phuong and his accomplices, on the afternoon of 3/7. Photo: Van An

Authorities accused Vinh of collecting a total of 2,79 billion VND from 372 K29 students and over 5 billion VND from 678 K30 students. Vinh transferred over 5,1 billion VND to Hue University of Foreign Languages, retaining over 2,7 billion VND in excess fees.

From the excess fees collected and the over 1,1 billion VND received as the 30% rebate, Phuong and Vinh spent over 759 million VND to compensate individuals who assisted in the collection. Of the remaining funds, Phuong personally benefited by over 3 billion VND, while Vinh received over 64 million VND.

The Hue City People's Court had previously scheduled the case for trial in 1/2026, but the hearing was postponed due to the absence of many witnesses and victims.

Vo Thanh