On 11/9, the Dong Nai People's Court continued the trial of 42 defendants involved in a case at the Bien Hoa Central Psychiatric Forensic Institute and the Central Highlands Regional Psychiatric Forensic Center. The defendants face charges of receiving bribes, bribery brokerage, giving bribes, and abusing position and power while performing official duties.

According to the indictment, from 1/2016 to 6/2024, these two facilities were involved in 29 instances of giving, receiving, and brokering bribes, along with abusing position and power. This led to 26 false psychiatric assessment conclusions, three fabricated medical records, and one case of incorrect mandatory treatment transfer.

During the afternoon session, the Procuracy focused on clarifying the actions of Le Vu Hong Son and his ex-wife Dinh Thi Bich Phuong, both charged with bribery brokerage.

>> List of 42 defendants

Defendant Le Vu Hong Son answers questions in court on 11/9. Photo: Pham Hai

Paid 190 million VND to feign mental illness and avoid prison

In 10/2020, the Binh Duong Provincial People's Court sentenced Son to three years in prison for gambling. Subsequently, the Bien Hoa City People's Court issued a decision to enforce the sentence.

To avoid serving his sentence, Son and his wife enlisted Do Hong Viet, an official from the Planning and General Affairs Department of the Bien Hoa Central Psychiatric Forensic Institute, to find someone to help Son obtain a mental health assessment. This assessment would allow him to undergo mandatory treatment, with that time counting towards his prison sentence.

Viet introduced Ha Ngoc Khanh, a doctor at the Institute. Khanh agreed to the scheme for 190 million VND, instructing Son to receive treatment at Central Psychiatric Hospital 2 before the assessment request.

Phuong gave Khanh 30 million VND, followed by another 160 million VND.

In late 12/2020, the Institute formed an assessment council, presided over by Bui The Hung, who was then the Director. The indictment states that Khanh distributed money to several doctors, assessors, and nurses, keeping 35 million VND for himself. Bui The Hung and Nguyen Huu Ty were asked for assistance but did not accept money.

On 27/1/2021, the council issued a conclusion stating that Son had lost the capacity to perceive and control his behavior.

Based on this conclusion, the Bien Hoa City People's Court ordered mandatory treatment for Son. By 9/2023, this measure was suspended as Son had reportedly recovered.

The enforcement agency initially issued a certificate stating Son had completed his prison sentence, counting the mandatory treatment period. However, the Bien Hoa City People's Court later corrected this, clarifying that mandatory treatment time could not be deducted from a prison sentence, and the certificate was revoked.

The indictment specifies that Son and Phuong paid 190 million VND to influence the assessment. However, before the case was exposed, they voluntarily confessed and actively assisted investigators, thus avoiding criminal prosecution for giving bribes.

Procuracy representative at the court. Photo: Pham Hai

Gambling outside while undergoing mandatory treatment

While undergoing mandatory treatment at the Bien Hoa Central Psychiatric Forensic Institute, Son was allowed to leave the facility against regulations.

On 27/3/2021, Vinh Cuu District Police in Dong Nai caught him gambling at "tai xiu" (a dice game). Investigators subsequently requested another psychiatric assessment for the suspect.

This second council was also presided over by Bui The Hung, with assessors Nguyen Thanh Quang, Nguyen Thanh Cong, Tran Tan Thuyet, and Nguyen Van Trong.

Despite knowing Son did not suffer from mental illness, the indictment states that council members agreed to conclude that Son had limited cognitive ability and lacked behavioral control when gambling. They also concluded he lacked cognitive ability and behavioral control at the time of the assessment.

Based on this conclusion, Son's gambling offense was separated for further resolution. Investigators later resumed verification to process the case according to regulations.

From client to broker

After paying to obtain a fraudulent assessment for himself, Son and Phuong allegedly began acting as intermediaries for others.

Around 11/2022, Phan Van Thanh approached Son, asking him to prepare a mental health record to present to authorities if he violated the law.

At that time, Son was undergoing mandatory treatment at the Institute, so he asked Pham Van Thang, a doctor at the Institute, to create the record. Thang requested 50 million VND, but Son quoted Thanh a fee of 100 million VND.

Thanh agreed and transferred the money to Phuong. Phuong then transferred a total of 70 million VND to Thang, keeping 30 million VND for herself.

Thanh was hospitalized for treatment from late 11/2022 to late 12/2022 and received a mental health record. After a gambling incident on 5/4/2023, Thanh used this record to request authorities to conduct a psychiatric assessment.

In court, Phuong testified about her involvement in the money transactions.

Connecting with former director in 700 million VND fake medical record case

Another case involved Ho Duc Thinh, who the Binh Duong Provincial People's Court had sentenced to three years in prison for gambling.

While awaiting sentence enforcement, Thinh and his wife, Nguyen To Kim Khuyen, were introduced to Son and Phuong to obtain a mental health assessment for mandatory treatment.

Son and Phuong agreed on a price of 700 million VND. Thinh and Khuyen made two payments: 400 million VND and 300 million VND.

Initially, Son asked doctor Pham Van Thang to arrange Thinh's assessment. Phuong transferred 250 million VND to Thang, but the plan failed, and the money was returned.

Son then instructed Phuong to contact Bui The Hung, who had since retired.

According to the indictment, Phuong went to Hung's house and gave him 250 million VND in a Daliss cake box. Hung accepted the money and then called Nguyen Van Trong, a doctor and assessment council member, to receive it to help Thinh.

The money was subsequently distributed among several council members.

The indictment states that despite knowing Thinh did not suffer from mental illness, the council issued a conclusion on 5/5/2023, stating that he had lost the capacity to perceive and control his behavior.

The Di An City People's Court then ordered mandatory treatment for Thinh, but the treatment period was not counted towards his prison sentence.

According to the indictment, in the cases of Phan Van Thanh and Ho Duc Thinh, Son and Phuong brokered a total of 800 million VND, profiting 430 million VND.

Pham Hai