Thu giữ 25 phong bì tiền tỷ đề tên doanh nghiệp tại nơi làm việc của cựu Thứ trưởng Nguyễn Bá Hoan

Authorities seized 25 envelopes bearing the names of businesses and individuals, containing nearly 1 billion VND and 156,100 USD, from the workplace of former Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan.

The Police Investigation Agency (C03) of the Ministry of Public Security has just completed its investigation and recommended the prosecution of 21 defendants in the case of receiving bribes, brokering bribes, and violating accounting regulations that occurred at the Department of Overseas Labor Management (formerly the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs) and several related businesses.

In the case, Mr. Nguyen Ba Hoan, former Deputy Minister of the former Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs; Tong Hai Nam, former Director of the Department of Overseas Labor Management, along with 7 others, are recommended for prosecution for the crime of receiving bribes.

Defendant Nguyen Lam Son, Director of Thanh Do Law Firm, is recommended for prosecution for the crime of brokering bribes.

The remaining defendants in the case are recommended for prosecution for violating accounting regulations causing serious consequences, including Nghiem Quoc Hung, Chairman and General Director of Hoang Long Company; Nguyen Duc Nam, Chairman of Sona Company; and Nghiem Van Dinh, Director of Incoop3 Company.

During the investigation, the defendants and related parties repaid nearly 52 billion VND. Of this amount, former Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan repaid over 15.8 billion VND; former Director Tong Hai Nam repaid 6.7 billion VND; Nghiem Quoc Hung and his wife repaid over 5.1 billion VND; and Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang repaid 7 billion VND... to mitigate the consequences of the case.

The investigating agency seized four properties owned by the defendants Nghiem Quoc Hung and Pham Thi Hanh, valued at approximately 220 billion VND, and requested a halt to transactions involving properties owned by Nguyen Duc Nam and Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang.

During a search of Hoang Long Company's headquarters, investigators seized 39 billion VND, 10 gold rings, and 1 gold bracelet...

Authorities also seized 25 envelopes from the office of former Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan, bearing the names of businesses and individuals, containing a total of 999,500,000 VND and 156,100 USD.

Former Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan.

According to the conclusion, the Department of Overseas Labor Management performs the function of state management regarding workers going to work abroad under contract and has the right to decide on the issuance, renewal, and revocation of licenses for organizing Vietnamese workers to work abroad.

Businesses sending workers abroad must register labor supply contracts, issued by the Department of Overseas Labor Management.

During the licensing process, Director Tong Hai Nam and other leaders of the Department created difficulties and obstacles for businesses by repeatedly returning applications, requesting additional information and documents; deliberately prolonging the application review time, and then suggesting bribery. Businesses could also offer bribes through the defendant Nguyen Lam Son, a lawyer.

The investigation determined that in 2022, when the South Korean labor export market under the E7-3 Visa program began to be implemented, Mr. Hoan instructed Director Tong Hai Nam to develop a separate procedure for reviewing and approving labor export contract applications from businesses.

When the E7-3 Visa program was implemented, defendant Nghiem Quoc Hung, Chairman and General Director of Hoang Long Company, met with and asked Mr. Nguyen Ba Hoan to facilitate the quick approval of applications. In return, Mr. Hoan received between 100 and 200 USD per worker going abroad for employment.

According to this agreement, from 2023 to 2025, Mr. Hoan received a total of $170,000 (approximately VND 4.3 billion) from Hung on two separate occasions, corresponding to 129 workers going abroad.

Former Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan also received VND 50 million from Nguyen Duc Nam, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sona Company, for directing the expedited approval of applications. During holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), Mr. Hoan also received a total of $450,000 and VND 90 million from Hoang Long Company, Sona, and Incoop3 to facilitate these businesses.

Regarding Tong Hai Nam, the investigation alleges that from 2018 to 2025, the defendant directed subordinates to develop and issue a separate procedure for approving labor export contract applications under the E7-3 Visa program.

In this procedure, the Korea Department required businesses to provide documentation proving the labor recruitment quota of the employer abroad. This document required confirmation from the competent Korean authority.

However, in reality, businesses were unable to obtain or provide this document, so they resorted to "thank-you money" to ask Mr. Nam for help, to overlook errors and expedite the approval of their applications. Mr. Nam agreed and received a total of $54,000 USD from subordinates five times; $40,000 USD and 20 million VND from Incoop3's General Director Nguyen Van Dinh four times; and 80 million VND from Sona's Chairman in two instances.

Mr. Nam is also accused of receiving nearly 3.2 billion VND from Hoang Long, Sona, and Incoop3 on holidays and for directing intervention in other matters.

In addition to receiving money related to the E7-3 visa project to South Korea, Mr. Hoan's group is also accused of receiving bribes related to the issuance of labor export permits. From 2018 to 2025, Director Nam instructed his subordinates to collect "bribes" from businesses applying for labor export licenses. The money collected was given to Mr. Nam and leaders of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.