Hanoi Tourism College former principal sentenced to 3 years in prison

The People's Court of Hanoi has sentenced Pham Van Long, the former Principal of Hanoi Tourism College, to three years in prison for “misusing one's position and powers while performing official duties.” Long was found responsible for orchestrating a scheme to withhold over 200 million VND from support funds intended for nearly 1,000 students.

According to investigators, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism approved more than 1.9 billion VND in support for 984 students participating in the A80 program. While each student was entitled to approximately 1.96 million VND, the defendants conspired to reduce this amount. Nguyen Tuan Ngoc, the former Head of Student Affairs, initiated the plan, and Nguyen Van Sang, a former specialist, executed the falsification of documents to reflect lower payments.

Following the scheme, the remaining 202 million VND was directed to be kept for the school's officials. In addition to Long, the court sentenced Nguyen Tuan Ngoc to 30 months in prison and Nguyen Van Sang to 24 months in prison, with the latter receiving a suspended sentence. The court noted that the defendants acted for personal gain, damaging the institution's reputation and the students' trust.