HCMC – Phan Quoc Viet, founder and general director of Viet A Technology Corporation, has admitted to gouging the prices of Covid-19 test kits by 45% and giving nearly VND800 billion in bribes to partners, said the office chief of the Ministry of Public Security, To An Xo.
Xo said the price gouging and bribery had helped Viet A pocket over VND500 billion, the local media reported.
The Investigative Police Agency under the Ministry of Public Security is coordinating with the relevant agencies to expand an investigation into the case as required by the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption.
The competent agencies have frozen many of the assets and savings books of Viet and other Viet A’s employees, including more than VND320 billion, US$100,000 and 20 properties.
Moreover, eight properties of the director of the Hai Duong Center for Disease Control (CDC), Pham Duy Tuyen, have been seized.
Over the past 20 days, 19 people involved in the case have been prosecuted. On December 17 last year, Viet and three of his subordinates were first charged with allegedly violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences.
Later, Nguyen Nam Lien, head of the Ministry of Health’s Department of Planning and Finance; Nguyen Minh Tuan, former head of the ministry’s Department of Health Equipment and Works; and Trinh Thanh Hung, deputy head of the Department of Science and Technology for Economic Technical Branches under the Ministry of Science and Technology, were charged with abusing their position and power while on duty.
Charges were also filed against Nguyen Van Dinh, director of the Nghe An CDC, and Nguyen Thanh Danh, director of the Binh Duong CDC, for bidding irregularities.
Viet was also accused of giving a bribe worth VND27 billion to Hai Duong CDC Director Tuyen and Tuyen was also prosecuted for taking the bribe.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, the case has sparked public concern and damaged public confidence in the fight against corruption.
On December 29, 2021, the case was shifted under the surveillance of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption.
