On 14/12, Huong, 42, was sentenced by the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City to 17 years in prison for fraudulent appropriation of property and ordered to compensate the victims for the full amount.
The indictment stated that in 2018, seven investors transferred money to Nhut, an Australian national, for property purchases in projects he developed in Australia. However, after years, he neither delivered the properties nor returned the funds.
In 8/2023, upon learning Nhut was in Vietnam, the investors decided to report him. They were introduced to Huong through Phung Thi Huan, the sister-in-law of one victim. Huong was presented as someone with extensive connections capable of assisting them.
At a coffee shop meeting on Tran Hung Dao street in Cau Ong Lanh ward, Huong introduced herself as an official with the Government Inspectorate. She claimed to have connections with many police officers and asserted she could compel Nhut to return the investors' money.
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Defendant Pham Thai Mai Huong in court. Photo: Hai Duyen |
Huong demanded each investor pay VND 50 million for drafting the complaint, VND 300 million for legal fees, and billions of dong for "tea and water expenses for the hard-working team". The investors agreed, transferring over VND 13,8 billion in total to Huan's account for onward transfer to Huong.
Two months later, Huong requested additional funds from the investors, claiming it was "to engage media to publish articles about Nhut withholding their money". However, they refused.
When no results materialized, the victims demanded Huong return their money. She claimed to have "handed it all over to officials of the criminal police department". Suspecting they had been defrauded, the investors filed a complaint with the Ho Chi Minh City Police in 11/2023.
According to the Procuracy, the investigation found no documents or evidence to support Huong's claim of giving money to Ho Chi Minh City Police officials. The defendant was found to have provided false information to receive and then misappropriate the victims' funds.
In court, Huong admitted her error in accepting money from the victims to help them recover lost funds, acknowledging she lacked the authority for such a task. However, she maintained she did not defraud or misappropriate their money.
According to Huong, the money received from the victims was distributed among several investigators. She claimed her driver delivered 21 taels of gold and 320,000 USD, concealed in a mooncake box, to one investigating official.
Huong's lawyer argued that many details remained unclarified, including claims that the client gave money to police officers and that Huong exhibited signs of mental health issues. Consequently, the lawyer requested the trial panel return the case file for further investigation.
However, the trial panel concluded there was sufficient evidence to establish the defendant committed the criminal act as charged.
Hai Duyen
