AIC Group’s former chief accountant turns himself in to police

Former AIC Group chief accountant Do Van Son, who was involved in an equipment bidding scam, has turned himself in to police, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Lieutenant General To An Xo told the government's monthly press meeting on Tuesday that Son, 46, is one of the eight suspects wanted since July 8, 2022 in the AIC scam and considered an important link in the case.

Police are questioning him to clarify details of the case.

The ministry has called for the remaining suspects to surrender in return for leniency consideration. They can contact the ministry's Investigation Police Department for Corruption, Smuggling and Economic Crimes (C03) or Vietnam's overseas representative agencies for guidance and support.

On top of the wanted list is AIC chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, 54, who disappeared on June 19, 2021. Others include Tran Manh Ha, 52, deputy CEO of the Hanoi-headquartered company; Nguyen Thi Sen, 39, former director of the Medical Equipment and Environment JSC; and 61-year-old Nguyen Thi Tich, director of Mopha JSC, a Hanoi-headquartered supplier of machinery and equipment.

Ngo The Vinh, 56, director of the Viet Tien Dental Equipment Trading Co., Ltd., HCMC; Nguyen Dang Thuyet, 53, former director of Thanh An Hanoi Co., Ltd; and HCMC resident Do My Hanh, 41, chairwoman of Cat Van Sa International Company are also wanted for questioning.

In a trial held in 2022 at the Hanoi People's Court, Do Van Son was sentenced in absentia to six years in prison. The court also handed down sentences to 35 defendants ranging from 30 months’ probation to 30 years behind bars for “giving bribes”, “receiving bribes”, “abusing positions and powers while on duty”, “showing lack of responsibility, leading to serious consequences”, and “violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences”.

Nhan received the most severe sentence of 30 years imprisonment for "violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences" and "giving bribes", specified in Clause 3, Article 222, and Clause 4, Article 364, of the Penal Code.

In November 2022, before the trial opened, the public security ministry called on Nhan, Son and six others to turn themselves in to enjoy leniency and exercise the right to defend themselves in line with Article 60 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The scam involved the VND1.9 trillion ($82.43 million) amended Dong Nai General Hospital investment project which had been approved by the Dong Nai province People's Committee, with the hospital as investor.

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 exports. The company has grown into the 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 bidding packages to supply equipment in the fields of healthcare and education across the country.