The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on Aug. 17 sentenced a Congolese national living to 3 years in prison for falsifying seals and official documents to open accounts and receive funds.

According to the court’s verdict, District 1 resident Kinzonzi Masimango Dadon, 27 years old, in 2008 used fake passports in different names to open accounts and withdraw money at Ho Chi Minh City-based banks.

Dadon withdrew some 47,600 USD and nearly 1.9 billion VND from the Vietnam International Commercial Joint Stock Bank (VIB Bank) and the Vietnam Private Bank (VP Bank) by transfers from foreign banks. At the HCM City Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dadon was detected by bank staff while completing procedures for withdrawing nearly 8,000 EUR but he then escaped.

Dadon was arrested by HCM City police in early September 2008 when he tried to open an ATM account at the VIB Bank.

The investigators located his residence and seized 8 passports in different names with Dadon’s photos and 18 ATM cards from the banks where he used the fake passports to open accounts.

According to the court, the money Dadon withdrew from Vietnam’s banks was transferred from foreign banks so he was accused only of falsifying the seals and official documents of organisations./.