The Da Nang City People's Court on 31/3 sentenced Le Anh Van (48) to 13 years and 6 months in prison, and Vo Dang Khoa (45) to 12 years and 6 months in prison for appropriating property by fraud.

Van and Khoa are architects who worked together in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2020, Van was hired to design several projects for Mai Van Hue, the owner of a 1,454 square meter plot of land on 3/2 street, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang city.

The two defendants at the trial. Photo: Tu Anh.

In 2021, Hue submitted an application for an investment policy approval for a condominium project. However, it encountered legal issues and remained unresolved. Van, despite being unable to "handle" the procedures, conspired with Khoa to devise a fraud scheme, authorities alleged.

Van signed a consulting contract with Hue, quoting a fee of VND 4,5 billion and requesting an advance payment of VND 3 billion. After receiving the money, Khoa took possession of the documents and submitted them to the authorities, but they were returned.

To build trust, Khoa used editing software to forge documents related to the investment policy approval, which he then sent to Van to forward to Hue.

Van subsequently claimed additional funds were needed to "handle the procedures" and requested Hue to transfer another VND 300 million.

In total, the two defendants appropriated VND 3,3 billion. Van used VND 1,4 billion, and Khoa received VND 1,9 billion.

After numerous unproductive waits, Hue grew suspicious. He conducted his own investigation and discovered that all the documents were forged, leading him to report the crime.

The court determined the defendants' actions were organized and deceitful, involving the forgery of documents to appropriate a large sum of money, and required strict punishment as a deterrent.

Ngoc Truong