On 18/9, the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City continued questioning defendant Nguyen Van Thanh, 42, regarding the forgery of documents for 13 publicly owned land plots totaling over 250,000 square meters, which were then sold to multiple individuals.

In this case, Pham Cong Tuyen, 59, director of Pham Phuc Gia Joint Stock Company (PPG Holdings) in Ho Chi Minh City, is identified as a victim of Thanh. However, Tuyen and his subordinate, Nguyen Dai Nguyen, 50, are also accused of bribery.

Testifying before the court, Tuyen explained his prior investments in several projects in the former Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, including land in Ward 5, Vung Tau City. Seeking adjacent beachfront property for an entertainment venture, he was introduced to Thanh, who claimed ownership of a prime 6,400-square-meter plot.

The indictment states that from 2018, Thanh and accomplices forged 69 documents relating to the origin of 13 public land plots exceeding 250,000 square meters in Vung Tau. Thanh enlisted a friend, an employee of the Land Registration Office, to obtain 55 original documents. These were then copied, with Thanh directing the forgery of supporting documents, seals, and official signatures. Between 2021 and 2022, Thanh allegedly sold 11 plots (163,000 square meters) to Tuyen for 174.6 billion VND, receiving over 48 billion VND in cash and the remainder in assets. Thanh also sold another plot, obtaining an additional 1.75 billion VND.

Defendant Pham Cong Tuyen (wearing glasses) at the court. Photo: Truong Ha

Defendant Pham Cong Tuyen (wearing glasses) at the court. Photo: Truong Ha

"I was inexperienced in land purchases involving khai pha (newly reclaimed land) documents, but Thanh promised to complete the paperwork for the red book (land title)," Tuyen testified.

According to the PPG Holdings director, around the same time, he met Nguyen Dai Nguyen (later his subordinate), who was reputedly knowledgeable about paperwork and offered to secure the land title. After receiving the documents for the 6,400-square-meter plot from Thanh, Nguyen declared them "genuine and purchasable," reassuring Tuyen. Subsequently, Tuyen met Thanh at Nguyen's office in Ba Ria, exchanged documents, and signed a purchase contract for 22 billion VND.

Tuyen proceeded to buy additional plots from Thanh and his wife, each with transfer papers, and was taken to the sites for handover. Thanh's presence during official land surveys further convinced Tuyen of his ownership. Nguyen's assurances that "Thanh's plots all have original documents" reinforced this belief.

Conflicting accounts emerge from the 'mastermind'.

In subsequent questioning, Thanh claimed the 6,400-square-meter plot was inherited from his father, originally a "fishing net drying area," on which he had paid taxes since 2003 and surveyed in 2014. "This proves the existence of documents for submission to the Land Registration Office to apply for land use rights measurement," Thanh stated.

He maintained that the documents given to Tuyen were authentic. When the land title couldn't be issued due to the authorities' claim of "no archived records," they agreed to file an administrative lawsuit with the Vung Tau City People's Court for document verification.

Thanh claimed to have suggested Tuyen report him to the police for investigation. On 27/9/2023, Tuyen filed a complaint via Zalo.

In court, Thanh admitted to giving Tuyen six documents but argued they weren't the ones submitted to investigators and deemed forgeries. He claimed uncertainty about their authenticity and admitted to forging a similar set of documents kept at home for other purposes.

Defendant Nguyen Van Thanh responding to the court. Photo: Truong Ha

Defendant Nguyen Van Thanh responding to the court. Photo: Truong Ha

Previously, Thanh denied selling 11 plots to Tuyen and misappropriating over 174.6 billion VND, but admitted to transactions and offsetting this amount against a legally clear land plot and several red books held by Tuyen.

Due to his changing testimony, the court presented multiple interrogation records showing his confession. Thanh claimed, "I was coerced into confessing then; today, I speak the truth."

Regarding the document forgery, Thanh claimed sole responsibility. However, in earlier testimony, Le Van Duan, 35; Nguyen Hong Huy, 27; and Phan Van Tong, 34, admitted to participating in certain forgery stages at Thanh's request but denied knowing his intent was fraud.

Given unresolved details and the case's complexity, the court suspended questioning on the charges of fraud, forgery, and use of counterfeit seals and documents of agencies and organizations.

The court will continue questioning defendants on charges of bribery intermediation, abuse of power for personal gain, fraud, and money laundering tomorrow.

This is a rare and serious case involving the forgery and sale of documents for 13 publicly owned land plots totaling over 250,000 square meters. This area is nearly 9 times the size of Ba Dinh Square, equivalent to 35 standard soccer fields or 350 tennis courts.

The case came to light in September 2023, when Ba Ria-Vung Tau police received Tuyen's complaint against Nguyen Van Thanh and Le Thi Tham for land fraud and misappropriation of 22 billion VND. The investigation revealed Thanh and accomplices had forged documents for numerous public land plots for fraudulent sale.

Truong Ha