Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security Investigation Security Agency has concluded its investigation and proposed the prosecution of 15 defendants in a case involving Xuyen Viet Oil Company and related entities.
According to the conclusion, during her tenure as Chairman of Xuyen Viet Oil, Mai Thi Hong Hanh violated regulations in the management and utilization of the Petrol Price Stabilization Fund and the collection and remittance of environmental protection taxes, resulting in a total loss of VND 1,463 billion.
Additionally, in 2021, when Xuyen Viet Oil’s gasoline business license expired, Hanh bribed a group of leaders and officials from the Ministry of Industry and Trade to have it reissued.
The recipients of these bribes included Do Thang Hai, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade; Tran Duy Dong, former Head of the Domestic Market Department; and Hoang Anh Tuan, former Deputy Head of the same department.
The accused, Tran Duy Dong and Hoang Anh Tuan.
Specifically, in June 2021, as Xuyen Viet Oil’s license was about to expire and the company did not meet the requirements for a renewal, Mai Thi Hong Hanh instructed Nguyen Van Thang, who joined Xuyen Viet Oil in June 2021 and was later appointed as Deputy Director of the Hanoi branch by Hanh, to bribe officials and leaders of the Domestic Market Department and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to facilitate the renewal.
Hanh also sought help from Do Thang Hai, then-Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, who introduced her to Hoang Anh Tuan, the Deputy Head of the Domestic Market Department. Tuan reported this to Tran Duy Dong, the Head of the department, and they agreed to facilitate the license renewal for Xuyen Viet Oil as per the Deputy Minister’s instruction.
On June 17, 2021, following Hanh’s instructions, Thang bribed Hoang Anh Tuan with USD 5,000 at the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade.
On September 30, 2021, Thang, under Hanh’s instructions, received USD 300,000 (equivalent to more than VND 6.7 billion) from Dong Xuan Dung, Xuyen Viet Oil’s driver, to bribe Hoang Anh Tuan and Tran Duy Dong. However, on the way, Thang opened the bag, took USD 50,000 (equivalent to more than VND 1.1 billion) for himself, and then proceeded to the Domestic Market Department.
At the department, Thang met Hoang Anh Tuan, who took him to Tran Duy Dong’s office. Thang said, “Ms. Hanh has a gift for you,” and left the bag containing USD 250,000 on the sofa.
After Thang left, the two leaders of the Domestic Market Department, Dong and Tuan, split the money. Dong kept USD 120,000 (equivalent to more than VND 2.7 billion) and gave Tuan USD 130,000 (equivalent to more than VND 2.9 billion).
On November 12, 2021, a Ministry of Industry and Trade inspection team, led by Hoang Anh Tuan, went to inspect the conditions for granting the license to Xuyen Viet Oil. During this visit, Hanh again instructed Thang to bribe Tuan with USD 10,000, which Thang delivered to Tuan in the car while en route to the inspection site.
A few days later, based on Tuan’s proposal, Do Thang Hai signed and granted License No. 55, dated November 19, 2021, to Xuyen Viet Oil.
According to the investigation conclusion, Nguyen Van Thang assisted Mai Thi Hong Hanh in bribing Hoang Anh Tuan and Tran Duy Dong with a total of USD 265,000 (nearly VND 6 billion) and personally appropriated USD 50,000.
During the investigation, Thang sincerely confessed, repented, and voluntarily contributed VND 1 billion to compensate for the damage caused.
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