Nguyễn Bá Hoan sentenced to 12 years in prison for bribery

The Hanoi People's Court has sentenced 28 defendants in a major bribery and corruption case involving former officials from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and various labor export enterprises.

Former Deputy Minister Nguyễn Bá Hoan received a 12-year prison sentence for accepting 16.3 billion VND in bribes. The court ordered the return of over 4.9 billion VND to Hoan due to excess remedial payments. Tống Hải Nam, former Director of the Department of Overseas Labour Management, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for receiving 14.3 billion VND in bribes.

Other sentences included seven former ministry officials receiving terms ranging from suspended sentences to seven years in prison, and Nguyễn Sơn Lâm, Director of Thành Đô Law Firm, receiving six years for mediating bribery. Corporate leaders and employees involved in accounting violations received sentences between 18 months (suspended) and five years.

The court found that between 2020 and 2025, officials manipulated licensing processes for overseas labor, including shipbuilding programs in South Korea. Instead of the official 5 million VND fee, businesses were forced to pay up to 400 million VND per application to bypass intentional delays and procedural hurdles. The court noted these actions damaged the reputation of state agencies, caused budget losses, and infringed upon the rights of workers.