The Department of Investigation of Corruption, Economic, and Smuggling Crimes (C03) under the Ministry of Public Security announced this information after concluding the case investigation on 4/10.

Linh, along with Tran Trong Nghia, former deputy head of VNCB's business department, are recommended for prosecution on charges of violating lending regulations in the operations of credit institutions, under Clause 3, Article 179 of the 1999 Penal Code.

Linh, 56, from Hanoi, has been wanted since January 2018. He has a prior conviction, having been sentenced by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court to three years in prison with a suspended sentence for property fraud in 1999.

Nghia, 43, from Ho Chi Minh City, has been wanted since November 2015. The current whereabouts of both defendants are unknown.

Defendants Do Hoang Linh (left) and Tran Trong Nghia. Photo: Ministry of Public Security

VNCB's predecessor was Dai Tin Bank (TrustBank). During the period when Pham Cong Danh, former chairman of VNCB's Board of Directors and chairman of Thien Thanh Group, was involved in the bank's restructuring and management, investigators identified a series of credit violations. These violations resulted in damages amounting to thousands of billions of VND.

In stage 1 of the case, Danh and many accomplices were tried for acts causing VNCB over 9,000 billion VND in damages. Danh was subsequently sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison.

In stage 2, Danh was investigated from late 2017, and Do Hoang Linh was among those indicted. Danh received an additional 20 years in prison for allegedly causing VNCB over 6,100 billion VND in damages.