Vietnamese Court Sentences Property Tycoon to Death in Giant Fraud Case

Vietnamese Court Sentences Property Tycoon to Death in Giant Fraud Case

The Vietnamese businesswoman Truong My Lan was sentenced to death yesterday by a court in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing to an expected end one of the country’s largest-ever corruption cases. The wealthy 68-year-old, who headed real estate company Van Thinh Phat (VTP), is accused of using “thousands of ghost companies” to embezzle 304 trillion … Read more

Vietnam’s Parliament Accepts President’s Resignation, Successor Remains Unclear

Vietnam’s Parliament Accepts President’s Resignation, Successor Remains Unclear

Vietnam’s National Assembly has accepted the resignation of Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong, who has become the second president to step down in as many years amid a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign. In a statement yesterday, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) announced that it had accepted Thuong’s resignation from all official … Read more

Vietnamese Prosecutors Demand Death Penalty for Alleged Graft Mastermind

Vietnamese Prosecutors Demand Death Penalty for Alleged Graft Mastermind

Vietnamese prosecutors are calling for the death sentence for the businesswoman who allegedly masterminded the biggest fraud in the country’s history, state media reported yesterday. Truong My Lan, 68, the chairperson of the Ho Chi Minh City-based real estate developer Van Thinh Phat Holdings Group, is accused of using “thousands of ghost companies” to embezzle … Read more

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong Resigns Amid Anti-corruption Campaign

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong Resigns Amid Anti-corruption Campaign

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong resigned after a little over a year in the job, the Communist Party said Wednesday, making him the latest senior official to leave office amid an intense anti-corruption campaign. The party said it had accepted his resignation, writing in a statement that “violations by Vo Van Thuong have left a … Read more

Vietnamese Parliament to Discuss ‘Personnel Issues’ This Week, Report Says

Vietnamese Parliament to Discuss ‘Personnel Issues’ This Week, Report Says

Vietnam’s National Assembly is scheduled to meet later this week to discuss unspecified “personnel issues,” Reuters reported today, citing a letter sent to legislators that raises the possibility of more upheaval at the upper ranks of the government. The letter signed by the general secretary of the national assembly Bui Van Cuong and sent to … Read more

Vietnam Opens Trial in $12.5 Billion Corruption Case

Vietnam Imprisons 54 Officials Over COVID-19 Flights Graft Case

Vietnam yesterday opened its trial in the case of the real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, who faces the death penalty in one of the country’s largest-ever corruption cases. The 66-year-old, who headed real estate company Van Thinh Phat, is accused of using “thousands of ghost companies” to embezzle an eye-popping 304 trillion dong ($12.54 … Read more

Why Vietnam’s Escalating Anti-Corruption Campaign Might Backfire

Why Vietnam’s Escalating Anti-Corruption Campaign Might Backfire

Similar to other authoritarian regimes worldwide, the survival of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) hinges on the support of ordinary citizens. Initially, the CPV sought widespread legitimacy and support through a combination of nationalism and communism. However, the near collapse of the economy in the 1980s led to disillusionment regarding ideology-based legitimacy, prompting the … Read more

Vietnam in a Styrofoam Box: A Tale of Corruption and Concealment

Vietnam in a Styrofoam Box: A Tale of Corruption and Concealment

In the heart of Vietnam, where ancient traditions intertwine with modern aspirations, a curious symbol has emerged as a stark representation of the country’s deep-rooted corruption: the Styrofoam box. These humble containers, once used to transport everyday items such as fresh produce and packaged goods, have become synonymous with the brazen acts of bribery and … Read more

Vietnam Communist Party Chief Vows to Hasten Anti-Graft Campaign

Vietnam Communist Party Chief Vows to Hasten Anti-Graft Campaign

The head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has pledged to broaden and deepen its campaign against corruption, a week after police revealed the scale of an ongoing graft investigation worth an estimated $12.5 billion. “We need to conduct the anti-corruption fight faster in a more efficient manner,” CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong … Read more

How Far the Rot of Corruption Has Spread In Vietnam 

How Far the Rot of Corruption Has Spread In Vietnam 

On November 14, police in Thai Binh province detained a National Assembly delegate, Luu Binh Nhuong, on suspected charges of corruption. The accusations are odd, but it appears that Nhuong has been charged with illegally mining sand and forcing businesses to buy it, and has been linked to someone already convicted of a similar crime. … Read more