Former General Director of the Ministry of Public Security’s General Police Department Phan Van Vinh at the court (Photo: VNA) Phu Tho(VNA) – The People’s Court of the northern province of Phu Tho announced its judgmentson November 30 for the 92 defendants involved in the major online gamblingring.
Accordingly, former GeneralDirector of the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS)’s General Police DepartmentPhan Van Vinh received nine years in prison, along with a fine of 100 millionVND (4,300 USD) for “abusing position and power while performing duties”.
Meanwhile, formerDirector of the MoPS’s Hi-tech Crime Police Department Nguyen Thanh Hoa got 10years’ imprisonment for the same charge as Vinh, together with 100 million VND (4,300USD) in fines.
Besides, the courtalso sentenced Nguyen Van Duong, former Chairman of the Members Council of theHi-tech Security Development and Investment Co. (CNC), 10 years in jail,including five years for “organising gambling” and five years for “launderingmoney.”
Phan Sao Nam, formerChairman of the Board of Directors of the VTC Online Telecommunications Co.(VTC Online), will spend five years in jail, including two years for“organising gambling” and three years for “laundering money.”
The 400-pagejudgment also clarifies punishment to other defendants who were charged with“using the Internet to appropriate assets”, “organising gambling”, “gambling”,“illegally trading invoices”, and “laundering money.”
According to head ofthe jury Nguyen Thi Thuy Huong, all defendants had shown regret regarding theiractivities, and wished for the court’s consideration of mitigatingcircumstances for them.
During the 28 monthsof operating software and technological solutions with such card games asRikvip/Tip.club, 23Zdo, and Zon/Pen, the games’ operators connected with manyservices, getting companies to set up a system of 5,913 outlets to convert gamescores into real money and vice versa.
They attracted morethan 42.95 million gambling accounts and earned more than 9 trillion VND (384.4million USD) from the money gamblers sent to the illegal gambling organisingservice. –VNA
VNA
