Vi, 44, has been arrested for bribery under Article 364 of the penal code and is being investigated for tax evasion, Thanh Hoa provincial police announced on the afternoon of 21/7.

Investigators determined that Vi "Ngo" transferred 350 million VND to a former soldier to bribe an official (whose identity remains undisclosed) within the judicial system. The aim was to reduce the sentence of Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, known as Hoa "Chua", who is serving a life sentence for killing a fellow inmate.

After receiving the money, the former soldier reportedly kept 70 million VND and transferred the remaining amount to the official.

The former soldier confessed to acting as an intermediary in the bribery scheme. However, the identities of those involved have not been revealed.

Police escort gangster Vi "Ngo". Photo: Lam Son

Police escort gangster Vi "Ngo". Photo: Lam Son

Regarding the tax evasion allegations, authorities accuse Vi "Ngo" of being a founding shareholder and playing a key role in the operations of Manh Tung Petro Liquefied Petroleum Gas Joint Stock Company (located in Hac Thanh ward, Thanh Hoa). The company allegedly omitted over 33 billion VND in revenue from its accounting records, potentially evading tens of billions of VND in taxes.

The company also allegedly forged numerous value-added tax invoices, creating fictitious transactions to legitimize records and procedures for tax evasion. Thanh Hoa police have prosecuted and detained 4 individuals, including Director Nguyen Huy Tung and employees Dao Manh Linh, Nguyen Thi Bac, and Dang Thi Lan Phuong.

Vi "Ngo" is a notorious gangster in Thanh Hoa with a criminal record including gambling, loan sharking, protection rackets, and debt collection.

He is also a close associate of Tuan "Than Den," who was recently arrested by the Ministry of Public Security's Department of Corruption, Economic, and Smuggling Crimes Investigation (C03) for alleged violations related to resource exploitation and accounting irregularities.

Lam Son