The court determined that many bank officials colluded together, used customer accounts to create false records, and appropriated 17.3 billion VND from Sacombank.
On August 19, the People's Court of Khanh Hoa province opened a trial for 5 defendants for property embezzlement, which occurred at Sacombank Cam Ranh Transaction Office of Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank - Khanh Hoa branch (now renamed Saigon Tai Loc Commercial Joint Stock Bank).
The defendants include: Vo Viet Luan (46 years old, former Deputy Branch Director and Head of Sacombank Cam Ranh Transaction Office); Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha (47 years old, former Deputy Director of Sacombank Cam Ranh); Ngo Thi Hong Nhan (45 years old, former treasurer of Sacombank Cam Ranh); Nguyen Tra My (27 years old) and Ngo Nu Hong Hai (39 years old, both former tellers of Sacombank Cam Ranh).
According to the indictment, when working as Head of Sacombank Cam Ranh Transaction Office, defendant Luan approved and proposed loans to serve the business of Nhat Tung Company Limited (directed by Ms. Nguyen Quoc Ha Quyen and founded by Mr. Nguyen Cong Tung). Luan has a close relationship with this company.
Knowing that Nhat Tung needed money for business and to pay off due loans at Sacombank, Luan directed Ha to mobilize money from 21 customers depositing money at the transaction office. These are people who have idle money and want to lend at higher interest rates than banks.
According to the agreement, Ha directly borrowed money from customers, delivered cash or paid for maturity, paid principal and calculated interest on Nhat Tung's loans at Sacombank as well as outside.
Ha kept track of the funds and signed the loan papers with Ms. Quyen. External loan interest rates are calculated by day or month, from 4.5% to 7% per month, equivalent to 0.15-0.24% per day.
After many commitments, Nhat Tung could not repay the loan principal and interest. By October 2022, the outstanding debt at the Cam Ranh Transaction Office of the company and 17 related individuals is VND 86.7 billion.
External loans, as of the end of August 2022 according to confirmation from both sides, were about 175 billion VND, including 68 billion VND in principal and 107 billion VND in interest.
According to the indictment, Luan then took advantage of his position, did not comply with banking regulations, and colluded and created conditions for Ha to use customers' payment account and savings deposit information to create false records and withdrawal documents.
Part of the money is used to repay principal and interest from external loans of a group of 21 customers, related to business activities and debt repayment of Nhat Tung Company and related individuals.
The prosecution agency determined that from August 12 to September 23, 2022, the defendants appropriated and caused a total loss of 17.3 billion VND to Sacombank.
The defendants compensated and compensated the bank 980 million VND. Of which, Luan paid 60 million VND, Ha 100 million VND, Nhan 800 million VND and Hai 20 million VND.
According to the People's Procuracy of Khanh Hoa province, the defendants were prosecuted under point a, clause 4, Article 353 of the Penal Code - which carries a penalty of 20 years in prison, life imprisonment or death penalty.
'Follow superiors' instructions'
In court, responding to the jury, Nguyen Tra My declared that when he signed the transaction documents, there was no customer to confirm, but he did so under the direction of his superiors.
The jury asked why they knew signing such documents was wrong but still did it. My believes that his superiors have assured him that he "worked with customers". The defendant declared that he did not receive any money from these transactions.
Ngo Nu Hong Hai also admitted to signing related documents under the direction of her superiors.
The trial is expected to last 5 days.
