Former health minister accused of accepting $2.25 mln bribe in Covid test kit scam

Former Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has been accused of receiving a $2.25 million bribe for helping Viet A Company's Covid-19 test kits obtain a circulation permit.

The Ministry of Public Security's investigative agency (C03) on Thursday proposed to prosecute 38 people after nearly 18 months of investigating the Viet A case.

Among these, six people have been accused of taking bribes, namely Nguyen Thanh Long, former Minister of Health; Nguyen Huynh, Long's former secretary; Pham Duy Tuyen, former director of Hai Duong province's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Trinh Thanh Hung, former deputy director of the Ministry of Science and Technology's technology and science department; Nguyen Minh Tuan, former director of the Ministry of Health's medical equipment and construction; and Nguyen Nam Lien, former director of the ministry's financial planning department.

C03 also proposed to take prosecution proceedings against Phan Quoc Viet, general director of Viet A Company and his deputy Vu Dinh Hiep for violating the regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences, and giving bribes.

Phan Ton Noel Thao and Ho Thi Thanh Thao, financial assistant and treasurer of Viet A Company, have been charged with giving bribes.

Six months after being detained, former Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has now been accused of accepting bribes instead of abusing his positions and power while on duty as previously.

Long allegedly knew that Viet A Company was not eligible to be granted a circulation number for its Covid-19 test kits, but directed his subordinates to facilitate the issuance at the request of Viet A general director Phan Quoc Viet.

The health ministry later issued a decision to grant an official circulation registration number for the test kits.

According to the investigation conclusion, Long sent representatives of the health ministry to negotiate the price of Viet A test kits, together with Ministry of Finance representatives. The health ministry later decided the price was VND470,000 ($19.73) per unit.

When checking the price, inspectors found that Viet A made mistakes in terms of production materials and suggested that the health ministry revoke the registration number of Viet A.

Long has been found of not having given timely instructions and not having issued inspection conclusions following the Prime Minister's request.

The health ministry then published the unfounded price on its web portal, creating a reference price level. C03 believed that this helped Viet A sell the test kits to units and localities across the country at the inflated price.

Long "introduced Phan Quoc Viet to leaders of some localities, creating favorable conditions for the company to sell its products".

C03 assessed that Long and his secretary Nguyen Huynh had intervened and influenced in a way that helped Viet A acquire a registration number for circulation and gain illicit gains. Long and Huynh "suggested Viet to give money".

According to C03, Viet gave Long $2.25 million (more than VND51 billion), of which $2.2 million through Huynh. Viet gave Huynh only VND4 billion.

In the same case, C03 proposed to prosecute Chu Ngoc Anh, former Minister of Science and Technology and former Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee, for violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste, in line with the Penal Code.

Among the remaining defendants proposed for prosecution are people holding high positions like former Central Party Committee member and former Party Secretary of Hai Duong province Pham Xuan Thang; Nguyen Van Trinh, assistant to a Deputy Prime Minister; and Pham Cong Tac, former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology.

The others include leaders of local administration departments or CDCs and health workers of provinces and cities.

The Viet A case has been under the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption's supervision and direction. The scam is considered a typical example of "systemic corruption" due to its scale, occurring at both central and local entities.

Lieutenant General To An Xo, chief of staff and spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security, told a government meeting in June that Viet A earned up to VND4 trillion ($172.47 million) illicitly, of which VND800 billion was spent on bribes.