A court in Ho Chi Minh City has sentenced 22 defendants in a high-profile case involving the illegal transfer of a prime land plot at 39-39B Ben Van Don, with former acting chairman of the Vietnam Rubber Group, Le Quang Thung, receiving the heaviest penalty.

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court handed down a total of 14 years in prison to Thung, identifying him as the mastermind behind the violations.

Illegal transfer of state assets

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Defendant Le Quang Thung. Photo: Nguyen Hue

According to the court, the land plot, located in Ward 12, District 4 (now Xom Chieu Ward), spans more than 6,201 square meters and was originally allocated by the State for production and business purposes.

The Vietnam Rubber Group later assigned portions of the land to Dong Nai Rubber Company and Ba Ria Rubber Company under annual lease arrangements, though no land-use rights certificates had been issued.

During a restructuring process involving state-owned assets, the group proposed merging and converting the land into residential use for building apartments for staff. This plan was approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and the Ministry of Finance.

However, during implementation, Thung and several associates unlawfully transferred the land from state ownership to private entities without proper valuation or public auction, causing losses exceeding VND542 billion (US$22 million).

Roles of key defendants

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The defendants at the trial. Photo: TP

The court determined that Le Quang Thung initiated the wrongdoing and directly negotiated with Le Y Linh and Dang Phuoc Dua to transfer the land to private companies.

Despite being aware that the land was state-owned, Linh and Dua collaborated with individuals within the Vietnam Rubber Group and related companies to legalize the transaction without proper procedures.

Nguyen Thi Nhu Loan was also found to have facilitated the deal by providing financial support, enabling the acquisition and subsequent resale of the land to another partner, generating profits of VND234 billion (US$9.5 million).

Sentences and legal consequences

Le Quang Thung was sentenced to 8 years in prison for violating regulations on the management and use of state assets, and 6 years for accepting bribes, resulting in a combined sentence of 14 years.

Nguyen Thi Nhu Loan received a 1 year and 6 month suspended sentence for violating state asset management regulations.

Le Y Linh was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison for similar violations and bribery-related charges, while Dang Phuoc Dua received a 7-year sentence.

Other defendants received sentences ranging from suspended terms to up to 5 years in prison.

A warning against corruption

The court emphasized that the defendants’ actions seriously undermined economic management and negatively affected public trust in state institutions.

At the same time, it noted mitigating factors, including cooperation during the investigation and efforts to compensate for damages. To date, more than VND400 billion (US$16 million) has been recovered, with Nguyen Thi Nhu Loan fulfilling her civil obligations.

The ruling underscores Vietnam’s continued commitment to tackling corruption, reinforcing that violations involving public assets will be handled strictly, without exception.

Thanh Phuong