More sitting, retired officials detained for taking bribes linked to Phuc Son Group scandal

Le Viet Chu, former Party chief of Quang Ngai province, has been arrested for receiving bribes from a real estate firm that was bidding for an expressway contract in the locality a decade ago.

On the same day, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security's investigative agency detained Pham Hoang Anh, standing deputy chief of Vinh Phuc province's Party Committee, on the same charges, the investigators announced on Thursday. Anh is former director of the northern province's Department of Construction.

The investigative agency determined that Chu received money from Nguyen Van Hau, chairman of Phuc Son Group JSC, to enable the company to win a bidding package to build a coastal road on the southern bank of Tra Khuc river in the central province of Quang Ngai.

Anh allegedly received money from Hau to facilitate Phuc Son Group's implementation of a wholesale market project in Vinh Tuong district, Vinh Phuc province.

The arrests came as a result of an expanded investigation into the case of "violating accounting regulations causing serious consequences" at Vinh Phuc-headquartered real estate firm Phuc Son Group JSC, Thang Long Real Estate and Trading Investment JSC, and related units.

Currently, the unit is compiling evidence to continue the investigation into other violations at Phuc Son Group.

Related to this case, police had arrested nine individuals, including Hoang Thi Thuy Lan, chief of Vinh Phuc's Party Committee; Le Duy Thanh, chairman of the provincial People's Committee; Cao Khoa, former chairman of the Quang Ngai People’s Committee; and Dang Van Minh, chairman of the provincial People’s Committee and former director of the provincial Department of Transport, on charges of accepting bribes.

The Party Central Committee earlier this month decided to strip Lan from the Party membership.

Ha Hoang Viet Phuong, head of the Dung Quat Economic Zone and Quang Ngai Industrial Parks Authority; Pham Ngoc Thuy, deputy director of the Department of Transport; Le Quoc Dat, director of the Traffic Works Construction Investment Project Management Unit; and Pham Ngoc Cuong, deputy CEO of Phuc Son Group, were charged with "violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences."

Meanwhile, Dang Trung Hoanh, chief of the Office of the Party Committee of Mang Thit district, Vinh Long province in southern Vietnam, was accused of "abusing influence of people holding positions and power for personal gain".

The case was brought to light on February 26 when the investigative agency initiated criminal proceedings against and arrested Nguyen Van Hau (43), chairman of Phuc Son Group JSC, and five accomplices.