The Fall of a Secretary: Lê Đức Thọ and 14 Others Face Trial in the ‘Xuyên Việt Oil’ Scandal

3 November, 2024

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court is expected to open an appeal trial on November 20 for the case of “Violation of regulations on the management and use of state assets, bribery, and abuse of position and power” involving Vietnam Oil Transportation and Tourism Trading Limited Company and several related organizations and individuals.

Among the accused, Le Duc Tho, former Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee (from July 2021 to September 2023), is charged with “Abuse of position and power for personal gain” and “Receiving bribes.”

Do Thang Hai, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and Tran Duy Dong, former head of the Domestic Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (formerly Deputy Director of the Trade Promotion Department), are also charged with “Receiving bribes.”

Accused Le Duc Tho. Photo: Ministry of Public Security

Mai Hong Hanh, former Director and Chairman of the Members’ Council of Vietnam Oil Transportation and Tourism Trading Ltd., Co., was indicted on charges of “Violation of regulations on the management and use of state assets, causing losses” and “Offering bribes.”

The trial is expected to take place from November 20 to December 5, with Judge Tran Minh Chau presiding.

According to the indictment, from August 2016, Mai Thi Hong Hanh was the legal representative, Director, and Chairman of the Members’ Council, as well as the de facto owner of Vietnam Oil Transportation and Tourism Trading Ltd., Co. In managing the company’s gasoline trading activities, Hanh violated regulations related to the use of the price stabilization fund and environmental protection tax, causing losses of VND 1,463 billion to the state budget. This includes a loss of VND 219 billion from the price stabilization fund and VND 1,244 billion from the environmental protection tax.

Do Thang Hai. Photo: Nhat Bac

Additionally, Hanh was also involved in bribing Do Thang Hai and several former department heads of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as Le Duc Tho, Dang Cong Khoi (former deputy head of the Price Management Department), and Le Duy Minh (former head of Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department) with a total amount of USD 1,265,000 (equivalent to over VND 29 billion) and VND 900 million.

The bribes were offered to facilitate the re-granting of export-import licenses to key traders and direct supervisors whose licenses were about to expire.

In particular, Le Duc Tho, in addition to receiving bribes totaling more than USD 600,000 (equivalent to over VND 13.8 billion) from Hanh, also abused his position and power to exert influence on others for personal gain. Specifically, he influenced the director of Vietinbank’s Ben Tre branch to provide Vietnam Oil Company with favorable loan conditions, including a credit limit of VND 400 billion, preferential interest rates, and a 40% unsecured loan ratio.

As a result of his influence, Tho received money and valuable assets from Hanh on several occasions, including USD 200,000 (equivalent to over VND 4.5 billion) on March 28, 2022; a golf set worth VND 1.1 billion; a Patek Philippe watch worth USD 421,000 (over VND 9.8 billion); and a Mercedes Benz S450 Luxury car worth over VND 6.6 billion.

Thanh Phuong