Hanoi’s People’s Court is set to hear the cases of 17 defendants involved in the second phase of the high-profile "rescue flight" scandal and other cases related to bribery and corruption in Hanoi’s vehicle registration centers.

In its 2024 report to the Hanoi People’s Council, the court system in Hanoi revealed that it handled over 41,000 cases from October 2023 to September 2024, resolving more than 37,000 (a 90.55% resolution rate). Notably, 130 cases of corruption and abuse of power involving 401 defendants were addressed, with 128 cases resolved and 390 defendants prosecuted.

The report highlighted several major cases that garnered public attention, including:

Viet A Corporation Scandal: Phan Quoc Viet, Chairman and CEO of Viet A Corporation, was accused of profiteering from the production and sale of COVID-19 test kits. Alongside 37 other defendants, including high-ranking officials, Viet orchestrated widespread corruption that caused significant financial losses to the state.

Tan Hoang Minh Group Case: This complex fraud case involved the misappropriation of over VND 8 trillion from 6,630 victims who had invested in corporate bonds. The case was closely followed by the public due to its scale and impact.

FLC Group Case: With 50 defendants and over 90,000 people identified as victims or stakeholders, this case represented one of the largest-ever prosecutions involving corporate fraud and financial mismanagement in Vietnam.

Hanoi Vehicle Registration Center Corruption: Multiple bribery cases linked to Hanoi’s vehicle registration centers were prosecuted, revealing systemic corruption in this sector.

The court plans to proceed with the trial of 17 defendants charged with bribery related to “rescue flights” during the COVID-19 pandemic. These flights were organized to repatriate Vietnamese workers stranded abroad, but investigations uncovered widespread corruption, with officials accused of accepting bribes to prioritize certain passengers.

This trial marks the second phase of the "rescue flight" scandal, which has already implicated numerous individuals, including high-ranking officials. The court will also hear additional cases tied to bribery at vehicle registration centers in Hanoi.

Quang Phong