Hanoi(VNA) – The Supreme People’s Court on December 15 opened a trial to review appeals for reduced sentences from defendants and others in the case involving Phuc Son Group, and the former localities of Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Quang Ngai, and Vinh Long.
The appellants included Hoang Thi Thuy Lan, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Vinh Phuc province (before being merged with Phu Tho and Hoa Binh) who received 14 years in prison; Le Duy Thanh, former Chairman of the Vinh Phuc People’s Committee 12 years; Pham Hoang Anh, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Vinh Phuc Party Committee, eight years; Pham Van Vong, former Secretary of the Vinh Phuc Party Committee, and Phung Quang Hung, former Chairman of the Vinh Phuc People’s Committee, with three years each; and several other former officials from Vinh Phuc and Quang Ngai. All sought reduced sentences or conversion to suspended sentences; none claimed innocence.
Earlier, the Hanoi People’s Court held the first-instance trial from June 24 to July 11. Nguyen Van Hau, Chairman and CEO of Phuc Son Group, was charged with giving bribes and violating bidding and accounting regulations, causing serious consequences. He received a combined jail sentence of 30 years - 14 years for bribery, nine years for the bidding violation, and seven years for accounting irregularities.
According to the first-instance verdict, Hau exploited personal and professional connections to bribe over 132 billion VND (over 5 million USD) to leaders of the Party Committees, People’s Committees, and departments in Vinh Phuc and Quang Ngai, enabling Phuc Son Group to secure many contracts in these localities and Phu Tho province.
After winning the contracts, Hau illegally directed their transfer, causing state losses of over 459 billion VND. He also instructed the use of two separate accounting systems, resulting in 504 billion VND in unpaid taxes.
Prosecutors determined that total losses from violations in bidding, accounting, and land revaluation in the case exceeded 1.16 trillion VND.
The first-instance verdict classified the case as particularly serious, causing significant state budget losses.
The court highlighted serious misconduct, such as approving zoning changes, extending deadlines, awarding land without auctions, and approving projects without proper planning authorization. It said such large-scale corruption undermines transparency in bidding processes and harms the business environment, as well as socio-economic development, sparking public outrage./.
Phuc Son Group Chairman sentenced to 30 years in prison in major corruption trial
Nguyen Van Hau, Chairman and CEO of Phuc Son Group, was charged with giving bribes and violating bidding and accounting regulations, causing serious consequences. He received a combined jail sentence of 30 years - 14 years for bribery, nine years for the bidding violation, and seven years for accounting irregularities.
