In its investigation report about the repatriation flight scandal, the Investigative Agency of the Ministry of Public Security proposed prosecuting 54 defendants for the crime of giving and taking bribes and deception related to property.

The case occurred at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the Government Office, and related agencies.

Two former Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung and Vu Hong Nam would be prosecuted for taking bribes.

To Anh Dung, 58, was responsible for approving the flight organization plan based on the proposal of the Consular Department. During this process, Dung directed his subordinates to add certain businesses to the list.

Between December 2020 and January 2022, Dung took money from local firms 37 times, totaling VND14.1 billion and US$320,000, and in return, he introduced these companies to the so-called “combo” flight plans, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

"The behavior of the defendant To Anh Dung constitutes the crime of accepting bribes, as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 354 of the Penal Code," the report stated.

These chartered flights were a paid service that was arranged for individuals who could afford to pay for their own in the pandemic.

Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung has been proposed to apply the mitigating circumstances of criminal responsibility provided for in points b, s, t, v, and x of Clause 1, Article 51 of the Penal Code and Resolution No.03/2020/NQ-HDTP dated December 30, 2020, of the Supreme People's Court guiding the application of some provisions of the Penal Code in determining the punishment framework.

Dung was indicted and temporarily detained by the Investigative Agency of the Ministry of Public Security on April 14, 2022, after expanding the investigation into the case. Indicted along with Dung were Pham Trung Kien, a specialist in the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction under the Ministry of Health, and Vu Anh Tuan, a former officer of the Vietnam Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

At the end of September 2022, the Party Central Committee decided to expel Dung from the Party. 

Vu Hong Nam, 59, as the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, is said to have taken advantage of his position to receive bribes of US$60,000 and VND450 million.

Nam, who was arrested last December, returned the amount of money he earlier took.

Nguyen Quang Linh (former assistant to former Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh) would be prosecuted on the same charge.

In addition, dozens of former officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the Government Office, the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security, the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs, were also proposed to be prosecuted.

According to the investigation conclusion, the repatriation flight case was especially serious and complicated, occurring amid the Covid-19 outbreak. 

The defendants took advantage of the pandemic situation for personal gain. 

The acts of the defendants are particularly serious, seriously affecting the reputation of State agencies, organizations and Vietnam's reputation, it said.

The findings are part of the investigation results published recently by the MPS’ Bureau of Investigation Security.

The probe, which began in January 2022, has looked into the violations found over the repatriation flights handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Consular Department, the provincial administrations of Hanoi and other provinces and cities.

Police propose to prosecute 54 defendants 

The Investigative Agency of the Ministry of Public Security has concluded the investigation into the case that occurred at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hanoi, and other provinces and cities. At the same time, they transferred the case files to the Supreme People's Procuracy to propose the prosecution of 54 defendants.

Specifically, 21 defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Receiving Bribes" specified in Article 354 of the Penal Code, including Nguyen Quang Linh, former Assistant to the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister; Nguyen Thanh Hai, Director of the Government Office's Department of International Relations; Nguyen Tien Than, specialist; Nguyen Mai Anh, specialist;

To Anh Dung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, Director of the Consular Department; Do Hoang Tung, Deputy Director; Le Tuan Anh, Chief of Office; Luu Tuan Dung, Deputy Director of the Civil Protection Division of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

Vu Hong Nam, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Japan; Nguyen Hong Ha, former Consul General of Vietnam to Osaka, Japan; Ly Tien Hung, former Officer of the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia; Vu Ngoc Minh, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Angola;

Pham Trung Kien, a specialist in the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction under the Ministry of Health; Ngo Quang Tuan, a specialist from the Department of International Relations under the Ministry of Transport; Vu Hong Quang, Deputy Head of Air Transport Division under the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam; Tran Van Du, Vu Anh Tuan, Vu Sy Cuong, former officers of the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security;

Tran Van Tan, former Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam Province; Chu Xuan Dung, former Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanoi City.

Four defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Abusing Power while Performing Official Duties" as specified in Article 356 of the Penal Code, including Tran Viet Thai, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam in Malaysia; Nguyen Le Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Hoang Linh, Dang Minh Phuong, former officers of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia.

Twenty-three defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Giving Bribes" specified in Article 364 of the Penal Code, including Le Hong Son, Deputy General Director; Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, General Director of Blue Sky Trading, Service and Tourism Co., Ltd; Hoang Dieu Mo, General Director of An Binh Commercial, Tourism, and Aviation Services Co., Ltd;

Nguyen Tien Manh, Executive Director of Viet Travel Tourist Trading Joint Stock Company; Vu Thuy Duong, General Director of Lu Hanh Viet Travel and Trade Joint Stock Company; Hoang Anh Kiem, a freelance worker;

Nguyen Thi Tuong Vy, Director of ATA Vietnam Investment and Consulting Co., Ltd; Nguyen Thi Hien, a freelance worker; Nguyen Thi Dung Hanh, Director of G Vietnam 19 Co., Ltd.; Tran Thi Mai Xa, Director of Masterlife Education and Tourism Joint Stock Company; Dao Minh Duong, Chairman of Vijasun Joint Stock Company; Nguyen The Dung, Director of Luxury Trading and Tourism Company Limited;

Tran Hong Ha, Director of Sao Viet International Trading and Human Resources Company Limited; Phan Thi Mai, Director of Hanoi Star International Joint Stock Company; Pham Bich Hang, Deputy Director of International Travel Company; Le Van Nghia, Director of Nhat Minh Travel and Catering Joint Stock Company;

Vo Thi Hong, Director of Minh Ngoc Airline Ticketing Service and Trading Company Limited; Vu Minh Thang, Director of Thuan An Investment and Trading Company Limited, cum Chairman of Ascend Travel And Media - Thuan An Travel and Event Joint Stock Company; Tran Tien, Director of Phi Truong Trading and Tourism Company Limited; Tao Duc Hiep, Director of Vietnam Railway Union Tourist Company Limited;

Pham Ba Son, an employee of Thai Hoa Construction Joint Stock Company; Le Thi Ngoc Anh, a specialist in the Commission's Reception Department; Dao Thi Chung Thuy, a freelance worker.

Four defendants are proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Bribery Brokering" as specified in Article 365 of the Penal Code, including Pham Thi Kim Ngan, an officer of the Administrative Department, Inspector Magazine under the Government Inspectorate; Bui Huy Hoang, a specialist of the Preventive Medicine Department under the Ministry of Health; Tran Quoc Tuan, former Director of Trade and Tourism Promotion Joint Stock Company; Nguyen Anh Tuan, former police officer.

Director of Thai Hoa Construction Company Tran Minh Tuan is proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Fraudulent Appropriation of Property" specified in Article 174 of the Penal Code, and the crime of "Giving Bribes" specified in Article 364 of the Penal Code.

Hoang Van Hung, a former police officer, is proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of "Fraudulent Appropriation of Property" specified in Article 174 of the Penal Code.

At the same time, the investigative agency issued a wanted on the accused Tran Thi Ha Lien, a freelance worker, for the crime of “Bribery Brokering” specified in Article 365 of the Penal Code. 

T. Nhung