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The Cost of Crime: Retitling the Damages in the Five Cases Masterminded by Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhàn

1 December, 2024

## Damages of 17.2 Billion at VNCERT

As reported, the Supreme People’s Procuracy has completed an indictment to prosecute Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan (former Chairman of AIC Company) and 12 accomplices in a bid-rigging case that occurred at the Vietnam Computer Emergency Response Center (VNCERT) of the Ministry of Information and Communications and related units.

In issuing the indictment, the prosecution assessed that this is a particularly serious case that has attracted public attention. Ms. Nhan, who played a leading role and has absconded, is causing difficulties in resolving the case and should be strictly handled according to the law.

The investigation agency is currently pursuing and calling for her to surrender to receive leniency from the Party and the State. If she does not surrender, it will be considered a waiver of the right to defense, and she will be prosecuted and judged.

In this case, the prosecution accused Ms. Nhan of directing her employees to VNCERT to coordinate and build a list of equipment and software intended to be purchased when VNCERT designated Khang Phat Company as the consulting survey unit and consulting establishment of the project to purchase equipment and hire technical services to monitor and analyze incidents and attacks on network information security on some international Internet connection channels, with 12 bid packages.

Statistics from five criminally handled cases show that Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan and her accomplices caused a loss of 340 billion VND to the state budget.

Initially, AIC introduced a system using Israeli technology worth about 300 billion VND, but VNCERT found it too expensive and incompatible with existing equipment. Once the equipment list was finalized, Ms. Nhan instructed her subordinates to contact the manufacturers to inquire about the prices in advance. AIC then added a 40% markup to form the estimated cost and agreed with VNCERT to include it in the project’s feasibility study report.

After VNCERT issued the invitation to bid, Ms. Nhan directed her employees to propose that AIC participate in bid package No. 8 worth more than 70 billion VND. At the same time, she instructed Mopha Joint Stock Company (belonging to the AIC ecosystem) to act as a “green army” and join the bidding. Thus, they won bid package No. 8, causing a loss of 17.2 billion VND to the state budget.

Group of defendants in the case at VNCERT.

## Damages of 25.8 Billion VND in Bac Ninh

Most recently, in early November 2024, the People’s Court of Bac Ninh province sentenced Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan to 13 years in prison for “Giving Bribes.” In the same case, Mr. Nguyen Nhan Chieu, former Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison, and Mr. Nguyen Tu Quynh, former Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for “Receiving Bribes.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan took advantage of her previous relationships with Bac Ninh provincial leaders and asked Mr. Nguyen Nhan Chieu, Mr. Nguyen Tu Quynh, and other officials to agree to divide the implementation of six bid packages for district-level general hospitals in the province. This would allow AIC to win three out of the six equipment bid packages.

To achieve this illegal profit, Ms. Nhan bribed Mr. Chieu with 3 billion VND and Mr. Quynh with 1 billion VND. Additionally, during various holidays over the years, she also gave the former provincial secretary 10 billion VND and the former chairman 8.1 billion VND.

Regarding the three bid packages of three district hospital projects in Gia Binh, Thuan Thanh, and Luong Tai, AIC won the bids with a total value of more than 126 billion VND, causing a loss of 25.8 billion VND to the state budget.

Causing damage of 95 billion VND at the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Biotechnology

The third case involving Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan occurred at the Center for Biotechnology under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ho Chi Minh City.

In mid-July 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court sentenced Ms. Nhan to 12 years in prison for “Violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences” and 12 years in prison for “Giving Bribes.”

According to the verdict, when the Center for Biotechnology under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ho Chi Minh City implemented a project to purchase equipment for 12 laboratories, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan directly contacted and agreed with Mr. Duong Hoa Xo, the former director of the center, to rig the bids in favor of AIC for ten packages.

Once the director of the Center for Biotechnology agreed, Ms. Nhan instructed her subordinates to coordinate with a group of center officials to build a list of equipment with inflated prices to ensure a 40% profit for AIC from the bid packages.

According to the court, Ms. Nhan and her accomplices colluded to inflate the bid prices, deliberately violating regulations to enable AIC to win the bids, causing a loss of nearly 95 billion VND.

After winning the bids, Ms. Nhan directed her subordinates to give Mr. Duong Hoa Xo money six times, totaling 14.4 billion VND.

Trial of defendants who were convicted with Ms. Nhan in the case at Ninh Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.

## Damages of 50 Billion VND at Ninh Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital

In late October 2023, the Ninh Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Court sentenced the former chairman of AIC, Nguyen Thi Thanh, to 10 years in prison for her role as the mastermind and leader in bid-rigging at Ninh Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.

For the four cases that have been adjudicated, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan received a total sentence of 30 years in prison.

The verdict stated that the Ninh Quang Ninh Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital construction project was approved by the Ninh Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee in 2009, with a total investment of over 135 billion VND. In 2012, the Provincial People’s Committee approved the project to purchase equipment for the hospital, with a total investment of over 238 billion VND. The project consisted of two phases, divided into six direct bid packages.

In this case, the court determined that Ms. Nhan played a leading role and directly instructed her subordinates to collude with individuals at the Project Management Board of Health Construction Works (under the Ninh Quang Ninh Department of Health, the investor), Ninh Quang Ninh Department of Finance, and organized “green soldiers” and “red soldiers” to bid and win, causing a loss of over 50.6 billion VND to the state.

## Damages of 152 Billion VND at Dong Nai Provincial General Hospital

From January to May 2023, the Hanoi City People’s Court and the High Court in Hanoi consecutively sentenced Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan to 16 years in prison for “Violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences” and 14 years in prison for “Giving Bribes.”

The verdict stated that the Dong Nai Provincial General Hospital project was invested by the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan contacted Dong Nai leaders and asked for help in allowing AIC to participate and win the bid, even though she knew the company did not have the financial capacity to do so.

Ms. Nhan then instructed her employees to collude with the investor and the bid preparation units to rig the bids in favor of AIC, causing a loss of 152 billion VND.

During their work in Dong Nai, Ms. Nhan and her subordinates bribed Mr. Tran Dinh Thanh, former Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, with 14.5 billion VND; Mr. Dinh Quoc Thai, former Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, with 14.5 billion VND; and Mr. Phan Huy Anh Vu, former Director of the Department of Health, with 14.8 billion VND.

Hoang An