On 22/9, Minh was sentenced to 13 years in prison by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court for fraud and misappropriation of property. The victim requested leniency for his nephew and confirmed he had received full repayment, so the court did not consider civil compensation.
The judging council determined that Minh was fully aware of his illegal actions but still intentionally carried them out, even against a family member. This represents a new type of cybercrime where young people exploit AI technology and social media for fraudulent purposes, necessitating a strict sentence as a deterrent.
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Nguyen Huu Minh at the time of sentencing. Photo: An Do |
Nguyen Huu Minh at the time of sentencing. Photo: An Do
According to the indictment, between August 2023 and April 2024, Minh deceived his 49-year-old uncle, residing in Vung Tau City, by claiming to be collaborating on an artificial intelligence project called "SD AI" with several well-known figures in the tech industry. He promised significant returns to persuade his uncle to lend him money.
To build trust, Minh created several fake accounts, added his uncle to a Telegram group, and exchanged messages detailing the AI software investment process, emphasizing funding challenges. He also used his girlfriend's email account to communicate with his uncle, requesting loans. He fabricated investment confirmation documents and repayment deadlines, and used voice-changing software to call his uncle.
Believing his nephew, the uncle transferred funds multiple times between August 2023 and April 2024, totaling over 5.45 billion dong. Minh spent all the money on cryptocurrency investments and personal expenses.
After repeated inquiries about the project and unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the money, the uncle investigated and discovered the deception, leading him to report the incident to the police.
Truong Ha
