AIC chairwoman wanted for medical equipment scam

Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, chairwoman of Advanced International JSC (AIC), is wanted for further investigation over a medical equipment bidding scam at Dong Nai General Hospital.

Nhan, 53, is wanted under a decision issued by the Ministry of Public Security’s investigative agency on May 10. She was identified as having absconded since June 19, 2021.

"Everyone has the right to arrest and immediately bring a wanted person to the nearest police station, procuracy or people's committee," the decision stated.

Previously, on April 29, Nhan and Phan Huy Anh Vu, Director of Dong Nai province’s Department of Health, were prosecuted for "violations of regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences".

On similar charges, the police detained seven other people, including Hoang Thi Thuy Nga, former deputy general director of AIC.

The amended Dong Nai General Hospital investment project was approved by the provincial People's Committee, with a total investment capital of VND1,904 billion ($82.43 million) and the hospital as investor.

According to the investigative police, there were violations in the process of making project adjustment documents and bidding documents for 12 medical equipment procurement bidding packages in the period 2013-2015.

Staff of the investor; AIC; the consulting unit for project formulation, bidding document preparation, and bid evaluation; and the price appraisal unit "colluded to inflate the price" so that AIC won 12 bidding packages with a total value of $20.77 million. The act “caused damage to state assets”, estimated at about $6.58 million.

AIC was established in 2005, specializing in labor export. The company has grown into multi-sector AIC Group, with more than 10 member companies and an annual revenue of trillions of Vietnamese dong (VND1 trillion = $43.29 million).

In recent years, AIC Group has won many bidding packages to supply equipment in the fields of healthcare and education across the country.