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The Final Verdict: Unraveling the Story of Trương Mỹ Lan and Her Accomplices

1 December, 2024

Former Director Đỗ Thị Nhàn fears she may never return to her family

Today (November 27), the appellate court for the first phase of the Vạn Thịnh Phát, Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank (SCB), and related entities’ trial entered the deliberation phase. The court will announce the verdict on December 3.

At yesterday’s hearing, after Ms. Trương Mỹ Lan (Chairwoman of Vạn Thịnh Phát Corporation) gave her final statement, the court allowed the remaining defendants to speak their final words.

Defendant Đỗ Thị Nhàn, former Director of Inspection and Supervision at the State Bank of Vietnam, expressed that the past few days had been excruciating for her. The first-instance verdict was extremely harsh, and she did not know if she would ever be able to reunite with her family. She and her family continued to contribute to society with all their might.

Defendant Đỗ Thị Nhàn at the appellate trial. Photo: Tân Châu

Ms. Nhàn expressed gratitude and apologized to her husband, children, and extended family. She earnestly pleaded for the court and the prosecution to acknowledge her contributions and apply all relevant provisions to reduce her sentence, giving her the motivation to continue living the remainder of her life.

At the first-instance verdict by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court, the court sentenced Đỗ Thị Nhàn to life imprisonment for “Taking Bribes,” alleging that she received 5.2 million USD from Trương Mỹ Lan. In exchange, she directed her subordinates to submit inaccurate inspection reports and draft conclusions, covering up SCB’s violations.

Đỗ Thị Nhàn appealed for a reduced sentence, but at the appellate trial, the prosecutor recommended that the court reject her appeal and uphold the original life sentence.

In her final statement, defendant Trương Huệ Vân (granddaughter of Trương Mỹ Lan) expressed her deep gratitude to the prosecution, the court, the lawyers, the prison staff, and the escort team for their support throughout the trial.

Defendant Trương Huệ Vân. Photo: Tân Châu

Ms. Vân mentioned that during the trial, she had heard the terms ‘shell company’ and ‘withdrawing money for embezzlement’ used repeatedly, which she believed were highly immoral. She requested to add the terms ‘debt restructuring’ and ‘debt swapping’ to provide a more nuanced perspective and a less harsh interpretation of the situation.

Trương Huệ Vân, CEO of Windsor Property Management Group Joint Stock Company, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for “Embezzlement” by the first-instance court. She appealed, and the prosecutor recommended that the appellate court reduce her sentence to 14-15 years.

Standing at the defendant’s podium, Mr. Chu Lập Cơ (husband of Trương Mỹ Lan) shared that he had been in Vietnam since 1990 and, over the past 34 years, had trained many young people to become skilled professionals serving the country. He also brought hundreds of thousands of tourists to his wife’s homeland.

Mr. Cơ added that he had only lent money to Ms. Trương Mỹ Lan for the restructuring of SCB but now found himself standing trial as a defendant.

Regarding Ms. Lan, Mr. Cơ stated that he, his wife, and their family accepted the court’s decision. He pleaded for leniency and the lowest possible sentence for his wife.

At the first-instance verdict by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court, Mr. Chu Lập Cơ was sentenced to nine years in prison. He appealed for a reduced sentence, and the prosecutor agreed, recommending a reduction to 7-8 years.

SCB’s Vice President pleads for a lesser sentence for Trương Mỹ Lan

In her final statement, defendant Trần Thị Mỹ Dung (former Vice President of SCB, whose appeal was accepted by the prosecutor, recommending a reduced sentence from 16 years to 14-15 years) expressed her gratitude to the lawyers and colleagues who had defended and accompanied her throughout the trial.

Ms. Trần Thị Mỹ Dung (former Vice President of SCB)

Ms. Dung mentioned that she had heard about the humane and forgiving nature of the law. Based on this spirit, she humbly requested the court and the prosecution to consider all mitigating circumstances and apply all relevant provisions to reduce the sentences of all defendants, especially pleading for a lesser sentence for Ms. Trương Mỹ Lan. She believed that the court’s leniency would be a great source of encouragement and motivation for Ms. Lan to have the strength and willpower to rectify the consequences of the case.

Ms. Dung expressed deep regret for neglecting her family, especially her young son and aging parents, due to her dedication to her work. She lamented that even a simple hug from a mother to her child had become a luxury that she could not afford under the detention center’s regulations. She urged all free mothers to cherish every moment with their loved ones and not to neglect their families, especially their children, in the pursuit of career or financial goals.

Tân Châu