HCM City (VNA) - The High-level People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City on May 6 opened the appellate hearing for the high-profile corruption case involving the Xuyen Viet Oil Transport, Trading and Tourism Co., Ltd (Xuyen Viet Oil).
According to the indictment, during her tenure managing fuel business operations at Xuyen Viet Oil, Mai Thi Hong Hanh violated regulations regarding the price stabilisation fund and environmental protection tax payments, causing losses of 1.463 trillion VND (56 million USD) to the state. This included 219 billion VND from the fuel price stabilisation fund and 1.244 trillion VND in environmental taxes.
Hanh allegedly failed to instruct staff to allocate the required amounts to the price stabilisation fund, instead directing subordinates to transfer the money to her personal accounts. She then used these funds for personal use and bribery. Regarding environmental tax obligations, she intentionally used collected taxes for personal purposes instead of transferring them to the state budget.
To secure import-export licences for Xuyen Viet Oil from the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2016 and 2021, seek authorities' ignorance of the company's wrongdoings related to the price stabilisation fund, obtain preferential contracts, persuade the HCM City Department of Taxation to delay the issuance of tax arrears collection decisions, and gain approval of favourable credit terms for the firm, Hanh gave bribes totalling over 31.5 billion VND to eight former officials for 22 times between 2016 and 2022.
The indictment also stated that Le Duc Tho, while serving as Chairman of VietinBank (2018–2021) and later as Party Secretary of Ben Tre province, abused his positions to secure favourable credit terms for Xuyen Viet Oil. In return, Tho allegedly received 600,000 USD and other assets worth over 22 billion VND from Hanh. Though not directly involved in credit decisions, Tho exerted pressure on subordinates to facilitate improper lending.
From January 2020, Xuyen Viet Oil moved its tax obligations from the taxation sub-department of District 3 to fall under the jurisdiction of the HCM City Taxation Department, led by Le Duy Minh. Seeking to delay tax payments and retain working capital, Hanh reportedly bribed Minh five times with a total of 190,000 USD and 500 million VND to postpone coercive measures and prevent public disclosure of the company's tax debts.
Additionally, Hanh was accused of bribing many other officials during the licensing and operations of Xuyen Viet Oil’s fuel import-export business, including former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai. Despite knowing the company failed to meet licensing criteria, several former ministry officials allegedly accepted bribes to issue business permits.
According to the first-instance ruling, the case represents a major corruption scandal in Vietnam’s energy sector, spanning both central and local levels. The court found the offences particularly severe, involving exceptionally large sums of bribes. Hanh was identified as the primary offender, warranting a strict sentence to serve as a deterrent and uphold the rule of law.
At the first-instance trial, Hanh was sentenced to 19 years in prison for "violating the regulations on management and use of state assets, causing losses and wastefulness" and another 11 years for "giving bribes". Meanwhile, Tho was given a 15-year imprisonment term for "accepting bribes" and an additional 13 years in jail for "abusing position and power to influence others to seek illegal profit".
The appeal trial will run until May 12./.
Legal proceedings launched against more defendants in Xuyen Viet Oil case
Legal proceedings have been launched against three more defendants when the Investigation Security Agency is expanding investigations into violations of Xuyen Viet Oil Company, Lieutenant General To An Xo, Spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, said on April 3.
