The Ministry of Defense’s Criminal Investigation Agency has issued an investigation conclusion requesting the prosecution of Nguyen Van Hau, Chairman of Phuc Son Company, and eight accomplices for fraud and violation of land management regulations.
Specifically, Mr. Hau is accused of fraudulently selling products at the Nha Trang Commercial-Service-Finance-Tourism Center Project (the “Project”) without meeting the legal requirements.
This is the second case for which Nguyen Van Hau has faced criminal charges.
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Selling Land Before Official Handover
According to the investigation, the Project, with Phuc Son Company as the investor, was to be developed on over 62 hectares of land that belonged to the old Nha Trang airport, which was handed over by the Air Force Officer School.
During the Project’s implementation, Mr. Hau requested the Air Force Officer School, the Air Defense-Air Force, and the People’s Committee of Khanh Hoa province to report to the Ministry of Defense for an early land handover.
Despite the lack of approval from the Prime Minister and the absence of a land handover decision from the People’s Committee, Mr. Hau took possession of the 62.3-hectare land.
Following the takeover, he directed his team to commence work on the Project.
In early 2016, even without the necessary land acquisition and allocation decisions, Mr. Hau introduced a preferential policy for company staff, diplomatic partners, and VIP customers, allowing them to pre-register for products at the Project by signing investment cooperation agreements.
In total, Phuc Son Company signed 683 such agreements, collecting over VND 7,032 billion. The investigation determined that Mr. Hau had misappropriated this money from customers.
It was found that the Project was not authorized to raise capital and did not meet the requirements for transferring land plots to individuals for self-construction, as Phuc Son Company had not fulfilled its financial obligations and had not been granted land use certificates.
Out of the VND 7,032 billion collected, Mr. Hau directed more than VND 3,786 billion towards the implementation of three road infrastructure projects: the Nha Trang Airport Connector Roads, the Ngoc Hoi Interchange, and the Ngoc Hoi Connector Road. The remaining amount was used for personal purposes or allocated to other projects.
Collaborating with an Old Schoolmate
In mid-2017, Mr. Hau introduced the Project to Tran Huu Dinh, an old schoolmate, claiming that it had all the necessary legal approvals and was permitted to raise capital. He offered to sell land plots to Mr. Dinh at preferential prices.
Initially, Mr. Hau signed a land transfer contract with Mr. Dinh, who was required to pay 10% of the contract value upfront. Subsequently, Mr. Dinh could transfer the land to other individuals.
As land prices in Khanh Hoa province started to rise, Mr. Hau wanted to sell the plots he had retained, keeping part of the customers’ money off the books. They agreed that Mr. Dinh would handle the sales, and if he could sell the plots at a higher price than what Mr. Hau offered (including the contract price and the premium), he would keep the difference.
Following Nguyen Van Hau’s instructions, Nguyen Thi Hang, Phuc Son Company’s deputy general director, only declared 10% of the contract value to the company, keeping the rest for other expenditures as directed by Hau.
During the investigation, Mr. Hau acknowledged his wrongdoing and expressed remorse. He proposed the use of his remaining assets, amounting to over VND 14 billion and 503 taels of gold, to compensate for the damages caused in this case. These assets are what remains after fulfilling his obligations in the previous case, for which he was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Hanoi People’s Court in July 2025 for bribery, accounting violations, and bidding irregularities.
Investigators Recommend Resolving Obstacles to Resume the Project According to the investigators, the Project has been halted due to violations of land and investment procedures. As the Phuc Son Group has not fulfilled its financial obligations and has not been granted land use certificates, it cannot deliver land to customers as promised in the signed contracts. Customers who purchased land at the Nha Trang airport from Phuc Son Company and Nguyen Van Hau individually have expressed their desire to reach an amicable solution and hope for the Project’s resumption. To protect the interests of these individuals, the investigators have recommended that the People’s Committee of Khanh Hoa province collaborate with relevant agencies to review and address the issues, allowing the Project to move forward. |
BUI TRANG
– 09:15 30/08/2025
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