According to Hau "Phao's" lawyer, on 3/7, Phuc Son Corporation deposited 768 billion VND (approximately $32.7 million USD) into the account of the Hanoi Civil Judgment Enforcement Bureau. This payment was made "to compensate for the damages caused by Nguyen Van Hau, as stated in the indictment by the Supreme People's Procuracy".

The lawyer stated that the total amount his client had previously paid in restitution was nearly 464 billion VND (approximately $19.7 million USD). With the additional 768 billion VND payment, the total restitution exceeded the required amount by more than 60 billion VND (approximately $2.5 million USD). Therefore, Hau and his family requested the court to lift the seizures and trading restrictions on nearly 2,300 properties and return 501 SJC gold bars and foreign currency confiscated from his home during the investigation.

This morning, the Hanoi People's Court delivered its verdict in the high-profile bidding violation, bribery, and accounting fraud case involving Hau, 30 former officials from Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Quang Ngai, and Vinh Long provinces, and 11 other defendants.

Hau was identified as the mastermind behind the case, with a series of violations causing a loss of 1,164 billion VND (approximately $49.5 million USD) to the state.

Former chairman of Phuc Son Corporation Nguyen Van Hau at the court. Photo: Danh Lam

During the closing arguments, the Hanoi People's Procuracy recommended a 30-year prison sentence for the former Phuc Son chairman—the highest among the 41 defendants—for three charges: bribery, accounting violations causing serious consequences, and bidding violations causing serious consequences.

Former Vinh Phuc Provincial Party Secretary Hoang Thi Thuy Lan was recommended 14-15 years in prison, and former Vinh Phuc Provincial People's Committee Chairman Le Duy Thanh 9-10 years, both for accepting bribes.

For the same charge of accepting bribes, Cao Khoa (former chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee), Le Viet Chu (former vice chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee and former secretary of the Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee), and Dang Van Minh (former director of the Department of Transport and former chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee) were each recommended 7-8 years imprisonment.

>>Recommended sentences for 41 defendants

According to the procuracy, the former provincial leaders were manipulated by Hau's businesses with money, creating interest groups, stemming from a decline in their moral character and driven by personal gain.

Taking advantage of this, over 15 years from 2008-2023, during the implementation of 14 projects and bidding packages in Vinh Phuc, Quang Ngai, and Phu Tho, Hau's businesses violated the law, profiting enormously, eroding public trust, and causing public outrage.

30 of the 41 defendants are former leaders and officials of various provinces, including 15 from Vinh Phuc. Photo: Danh Lam

Vinh Phuc had the highest number of officials on trial with 15, including two former provincial Party secretaries, Hoang Thi Thuy Lan and Pham Van Vong; former permanent deputy secretary Pham Hoang Anh; and two former chairmen of the Provincial People's Committee, Le Duy Thanh and Phung Quang Hung.

Lan and Thanh were accused of receiving the largest bribes, 47.9 billion VND (approximately $2 million USD) and 49.8 billion VND (approximately $2.1 million USD) respectively.

In her final statement, Lan wept repeatedly, apologizing three times to the people of Vinh Phuc and asking for forgiveness so that her time in prison would be less "tormented, scandalous, and painful".

The Phuc Son chairman admitted his wrongdoing, accepted any punishment, and asked for reduced sentences for the 40 other defendants implicated because of him.

Thanh Lam