The Investigation Police Department under the Public Security Ministry on July 17 arrested and launched criminal proceeding against two former executives of the Global Petroleum Joint Stock Commercial Bank (GP Bank), Ta Ba Long and Doan Van An.

Both Long, born in 1955, former Chairman of GP Bank’s Board of Director, and An, born in 1958, Vice Chairman of the board, were charged with “deliberately acting against the State’s regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences” as stated in Article 165 of the Penal Code.

Earlier in May this year, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) suspended the rights and obligations of Long and An.

Meanwhile, the police also revealed the investigation results on the case of “deliberately acting against the State’s regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences; violating State’s regulations on lending in the operation of credit organisations; and neglecting of responsibility, causing serious consequences” at the Vietnam Construction Bank (VNCB).

The police affirmed there is sufficient evidence to prove that from December 2012 to March 2014, Pham Cong Danh, Chairman of VNCB Board of Directors, Chairman of Member Board and General Director of Thien Thanh Group, directed his staff to withdraw over 18.41 trillion VND (roughly 876 million USD) from VNCB for his private use.

The police have commenced legal proceeding against 21 defendants, including two former officials of the SBV. They are Ha Tan Phuoc, former Deputy Director of the SBV branch in Long An province, and Le Van Thanh, former chief inspector of the SBV branch in Long An.

Both Phuoc and Thanh were charged with “negligence of responsibility causing serious consequences” in accordance with Article 285 of the Penal Code.-VNA