On January 19, the Hanoi People’s Court sentenced defendant Dang Thi Thanh Huong (52, from Tay Ho ward, Hanoi) to life imprisonment for fraud and asset appropriation. The victim in the case was Vu Thi H. (63, from Hanoi), who was defrauded of hundreds of billions of dong.

Huong worked as a freelance real estate broker. Around early 2018, she became acquainted with Ms. H. Seeing that Ms. H. was financially well-off, Huong claimed that her husband was the general director of a real estate company and that she herself had many connections with senior leaders of Hanoi.

Huong worked as a freelance real estate broker. In early 2018, she became acquainted with H. Seeing that H. was financially well-off, Huong claimed that her husband was the general director of a real estate company and that she herself had many connections with senior leaders of Hanoi.

Huong also frequently provided H. with information about companies developing real estate projects in Hanoi. In August 2018, H. noticed a property at No36 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi, with a prime location and wanted to build an office there for lease.

In fact, this property was a stated-owned villa, previously assigned to the Hong Ha Cultural Products Factory and 25 households for management and use. In 2014, the Hanoi People’s Committee issued a document assigning the former Hoan Kiem district People’s Committee to continue site clearance solutions to build a primary school, but the plan could not be implemented because the house was classified as a protected villa and many households opposed relocation.

Despite knowing the project's legal status, Huong still affirmed she could help H. buy the entire plot at a price of VND400 million per sqm.

Trusting Huong, H. transferred VND5 billion to Huong as a deposit on August 27, 2018. Huong drafted a contract promising to complete all legal procedures to acquire the project. To further build trust, Huong asked a former Chief of Staff of the Guard Command (Ministry of Public Security) to sign the contract as a witness. This led H. to transfer another amount of VND20 billion.

After receiving the money, Huong frequently sent photos showing herself sitting with Hoan Kiem District leaders to convince H that she was negotiating the deal.

Also in August 2018, Huong suggested that H. buy another plot at No47F Ngo Quyen Street, Hanoi, although this address did not exist in reality.

To demonstrate her “capability,” Huong also asked a representative of H. to meet leaders of the Economic Division of the former Hoan Kiem district People’s Committee to receive a land dossier on her behalf. This further increased H.’s trust, leading her to transfer more than VND204 billion to Huong.

The indictment determined that from August 27, 2018, to July 19, 2019, H. transferred more than VND229 billion to Huong on multiple occasions. Huong used the entire appropriated amount to repay debts and for personal spending.

Devastated after being defrauded of such a large sum,  H. said she attempted suicide several times. She told investigators that the money she gave Huong included funds she had raised from relatives and acquaintances.

On June 16, 2020, H. reported the fraud to the police. During the investigation, Huong initially denied the allegations, claiming there had been no land transactions and that all the money transferred by H. was merely loans for business purposes.

However, after analyzing evidences, authorities determined that Huong had appropriated over VND229 billion.

Huong initially attempted to deflect blame but eventually admitted to the charges and asked for leniency.

Meanwhile, the victim maintained that the total amount transferred to Huong exceeded VND500 billion, not just more than VND229 billion as stated. 

Regarding civil liability, H. requested that Huong compensate her for the remaining amount allegedly appropriated, totaling more than VND533 billion.

In its closing arguments, the prosecutor’s office proposed a life sentence, stating that the investigation had sufficient grounds to determine Huong appropriated more than VND229 billion. The defendant acted alone and had no accomplices, despite the victim’s request to examine the conduct of several related individuals.

Regarding the appropriated funds, the court ordered Huong to compensate H. and granted the victim the right to file a separate civil lawsuit for other amounts she claimed were also misappropriated.

T. Nhung