This conclusion was recently issued by the Lam Dong Provincial Inspection, following an investigation into the implementation of the Social Housing Area project in Nghia Tan ward, Gia Nghia city, former Dak Nong (now Nam Gia Nghia ward, Lam Dong province). The inspection revealed numerous violations within the project.

Specifically, two areas—selling homes to ineligible individuals and using illegal invoices—were identified as having criminal signs. Consequently, the inspection recommended referring the case to the Lam Dong Provincial Police for handling.

The social housing complex in Gia Nghia city, former Dak Nong. *Photo: Chi Yeng*

Irregularities: 99 ineligible individuals purchased social housing

The project is built on a 17,821 m2 plot of land. This area was initially intended for public housing by an enterprise, but the plan was terminated in 3/2017. Subsequently, the province assigned Beton 6 Transport Construction Joint Stock Company as the investor for the social housing project. Later, ESG Vietland One Member Limited Liability Company (a subsidiary of Beton 6) was transferred as the project investor. Despite multiple deadline extensions until Q4/2022, the project remains unfinished.

The inspection determined that ESG Vietland Company sold social housing units and mobilized over 96 billion VND from sales transactions for 99 cases that lacked the necessary documentation and procedures to meet the eligibility requirements of the Housing Law.

Out of a total of 106 units sold, only 7 cases were appraised and approved by the Dak Nong Department of Construction as eligible. The remaining 99 cases were transacted by the investor without approval from competent authorities or after being deemed ineligible.

Furthermore, during project implementation, the investor failed to submit a list of prospective buyers to the Department of Construction, nor did it provide a written report on the total number of apartments, the timing of sales, rentals, or rent-to-own agreements for regulatory oversight and public disclosure.

The company also handed over units to buyers for use before the construction work had received official acceptance.

Fictitious acceptance of over 96 billion VND

In addition to violations concerning buyer eligibility, the inspection found that the investor and a related enterprise issued and used four illegal invoices to falsify acceptance documents for fictitious work volumes totaling over 96 billion VND, which were then used as a basis for disbursing credit loans.

According to records, four value-added tax invoices were issued by Dia Thien Thai Gia Lai Company to ESG Vietland with a total construction value exceeding 106 billion VND. However, a comparison with the actual construction volume at the time of invoice issuance showed the value was only approximately 9.8 billion VND. Among these, two invoices were issued before the volume acceptance date; as of the inspection in 5/2025, over 7.1 billion VND worth of invoiced items had not yet been constructed.

"The verification results show that the issuance and use of the four invoices mentioned above violated legal regulations," the inspection conclusion stated.

Moreover, the investor was also found to have carried out construction not in accordance with the permit issued by the Department of Construction on 7/8/2018. This included building an additional 524 m2 of construction area and 4,720 m2 of floor area, altering the functional use of the attic and first floor areas.

A row of houses in the social housing project in Gia Nghia. *Photo: Chi Yeng*

The Lam Dong Provincial Inspection also determined that the Department of Construction and the Department of Planning and Investment (during the former Dak Nong period) did not fully discharge their responsibilities in appraising and advising the Provincial People's Committee to approve the project's investment policy at a location inconsistent with the approved construction plans (1/500, urban planning).

Consequently, the inspection agency recommended that competent authorities consider disciplinary action against the relevant organizations and individuals.

Viet Quoc