Former Phú Quốc Police Chief faces trial in 67 billion VND land fraud case

The An Giang Provincial People's Court is conducting a trial for Lê Văn Mót, the former Chief of Police of Phú Quốc, and Nguyễn Thị Hằng for their involvement in a land-related fraud scheme totaling over 67 billion VND.

Between 2018 and 2023, Mót allegedly leveraged his position and knowledge of local land management and planning to conspire with Hằng. Despite knowing that the targeted land areas were protected forests or state-managed land that could not be legally sold or granted ownership certificates to individuals, the pair used Mót’s professional reputation to deceive victims into signing service contracts and purchasing land.

Prosecutors have proposed a life sentence for Nguyễn Thị Hằng for “fraudulent appropriation of property” and an additional 10 to 12 years for “money laundering.” Mót faces a recommended sentence of 14 to 16 years for fraud. The defendants are also being held liable for compensating victims for the total amount exceeding 67 billion VND. Hằng is further accused of laundering nearly 21 billion VND by transferring funds to relatives and acquaintances to purchase real estate and goods.