Vietnam launches fresh probe into jailed Chinese criminal for wind power fraud

Police in the northern province of Phu Tho have begun investigating a suspected wind power fraud committed by WeiXing, a Chinese national already in jail for another crime.

WeiXing is serving time in a case involving illegal invoice purchase and tax evasion detected in 2020-2022.

The new investigation will look into charges of “violating construction regulations, causing serious consequences.”

WeiXing, who “managed” the Hanoi-based Thien Vu Vietnam New Energy JSC without an official title, purchased 26 illegal invoices worth VND109.3 billion ($4.44 million) to finalize construction of the Dak Hoa wind power plant in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong.

Phu Tho police found that the VND1,624-billion ($66 million) project was given an investment license in November 2020. As the project did not meet the October 31, 2021 deadline to qualify for a preferential feed-in-tariff (FiT) of VND1,928 ($0.08) per kWh, WeiXing directed his subordinates to forge project completion documents on October 25, 2021.

Projects completed after the deadline would only qualify for an FiT of VND1,587.1 ($0.06) per kWh.

Phu Tho police also said that the project did not follow the design approved by the Electricity & Renewable Energy Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

To complete the forged documents, WeiXing purchased illegal invoices from the project contractor. His activities led to damages to the state budget, Phu Tho police said.