Former deputy trade minister arrested for Electricity Vietnam-related violations

Hoang Quoc Vuong, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, has been detained on charges of wrongdoings related to a scam that occurred at state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN).

Lieutenant General To An Xo, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, said Thursday that Vuong had been detained two days ago by the ministry's investigative agency for further investigation into his alleged abuse of positions and power while on duty.

Vuong, 61, graduated from the Russian State University for Geological Prospecting (MGRI) in Moscow, and then held many senior positions such as vice chairman of the Thai Nguyen province People's Committee before being appointed deputy trade minister in August 2010.

In September 2012, he was transferred to EVN to become board chairman and chief of the group's Party Committee. Three years later, he stopped working at EVN to again become a deputy trade minister.

During his period as deputy trade minister from 2015 to 2020, Vuong was assigned to direct work in the fields of electricity, renewable energy, environment and sustainable development, safety, information technology, and market development.

In November 2020, he was appointed board chairman of state-owned Petrovietnam and retired on January 1, 2024, one day before his arrest.

In the case of abusing position and power while on duty at the trade ministry and other provinces and cities, in November, the investigative agency launched legal proceedings against six people.

Among these are Nguyen Danh Son, director of Electricity Trading Company, and three subordinates; Tran Quoc Hung, deputy head of the public relations and licensing department under the trade ministry's Electricity Regulatory Authority; and Trinh Van Doan, an officer at the department.