2 executives arrested in pandemic repatriation scam

Corporate directors Nguyen Tuong Vi and Nguyen Dung Hanh were arrested on Friday on charges of giving bribes related to “rescue flights” that brought Vietnamese citizens home amid the Covid-19 surge.

Nguyen Tuong Vi, Director of ATA Vietnam Investment and Consulting Company, and Nguyen Dung Hanh, Director of G Vietnam 19 Company, were detained by the Ministry of Public Security’s investigative agency for "giving bribes", Lieutenant General To An Xo, Chief of Staff and spokesman of the ministry, said.

This is part of an investigation into the case of bribery and accepting bribes at the Foreign Ministry's Consular Department and related cities and provinces.

On April 14, the investigative agency arrested To Anh Dung, 58, Deputy Foreign Minister, along with Pham Trung Kien, a Health Ministry official, and Vu Anh Tuan, a former official at the Ministry of Public Security's Immigration Department, on charges of receiving bribes.

Earlier, the investigative agency arrested Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, Director of the Consular Department, and three subordinates on the same charges. Two months later, Nguyen Dieu Mo, General Director of An Binh Aviation Services, Tourism and Trade Company, was arrested for "giving bribes".

The Ministry of Public Security stated that these people have taken advantage of the government’s policy for personal gains.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Vietnam has organized nearly 800 repatriation flights, bringing home more than 200,000 citizens from more than 60 countries and territories. Many people claimed they had to buy very expensive tickets for the "rescue flights" and experienced cumbersome procedures.