VietNamNet Bridge – The People’s Court in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang has sentenced 27 defendants in a case of illegal trading of value added tax (VAT) invoices.

Defendants at the court on Wednesday. The People’s Court in An Giang Province sentenced 27 defendants in a case of illegal trading of value added tax (VAT) invoices. — VNA/VNS Photo Cong Mao

Their action caused the State to lose more than VND35 billion (US$1.55 million), the online newspaper Vietnamplus reported.

The defendants were prosecuted for misappropriation of property, illegal invoice trading, abuse of position during in office and irresponsibility causing serious consequences.

The defendants include the directors, deputy directors, accountants, cashiers, employees and tax officials of some companies, joint stock companies and tax and customs departments in the province.

After nearly a month of trial, the provincial People’s Court on Wednesday sentenced Pham Thanh Dung, director of Tan Thanh Loi Company, to 16 years in prison.

Nguyen Dan An, deputy director of Danh Quoc Company, and Nguyen Minh Hieu, accountant of three companies, were each sentenced to 12-year imprisonment.

Le Thi Kim Anh, director of Tan Loi Kim Company; Mai Chi Dung, an employee of Tan Thanh Loi Company; and Tran Thanh Binh, head of Import-Export Department of Tan Thanh Loi Company, were sentenced to seven years each in prison.

Other defendants were suspended for one to three years.

Some defendants were also banned from holding office in State bodies and economic and social organisations for three years from completing their sentences.

The court ordered the accused to return the illegal profits to the State budget.

According to the indictment, Dung established three companies - Tan Thanh Loi, Tan Thanh Loi An Phu and Tan Loi Kim - in An Phu District.

From December 2010 to December 2013, he directly purchased or ordered his employees to purchase VAT invoices of many companies.

He also co-ordinated with tax and customs officials to set up 42 sets of fraud records to appropriate over VND35 billion. 

Source: VNS