Chau Thi Thu Nga at the appeal court. (Source: VNA)
Nga and eight other defendants appealed against the verdict made
by the Hanoi People’s Court in the first instance trial that took place from
October 2-16, 2017. As many as 189 victims in the case also asked the court to
review its decision.
At the first trial, Nga was sentenced to life imprisonment for swindling
to appropriate assets. However, she said that the punishment is too strict and
refused to compensate 54 billion VND (2.3 million USD) as ordered by the
court.
The other defendants filing appeals also asked for reduced punishment or
suspended sentences.
Nga’s accomplices received various prison terms, including former Deputy
General Directors of Housing Group Nguyen Truong Son (six years in prison), Le
Hong Cuong (four years), Nguyen Vu Hung (30 months), and Phan Thanh Tuyen (24
months).
Two former Directors of Housing Group Real Estate Trading Floor Nguyen Thi Tinh
and Luu Thi Thuy were sentenced to seven years and 36 months in prison,
respectively. Former chief accountant of the firm Pham Thi Thu Hanh got 36
months while another former chief accountant Dinh Phuc Tieu was given 36
months’ probation. Former acting chief accountant of Housing Group Doan Thi
Thanh Thuy was jailed for 24 months.
Only Dinh Phuc Tieu did not appeal.
The verdict read that Nga knew the adjusted planning of the B5 Cau Dien housing
project had yet been approved and its construction had yet been licensed. She
also knew that Housing Group had not been permitted to mobilise capital paid in
advance by those who wanted to buy apartments in the project.
However, Nga, together with the nine accomplices, intentionally carried out
activities to swindle home buyers to appropriate their money.
Nga and her accessories appropriated over 377 billion VND (16.59 million USD)
of 726 home buyers. She returned only 28.7 billion VND (1.26 million USD) to 43
clients.
Up to 475 out of 726 clients sent letters of denunciation to the Investigation
Department of the Ministry of Public Security, while others also asked for the
refund of their appropriated money.
Source: VNA
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