Phu Tho police prosecute man for rape of US citizen

Phu Tho provincial police have officially initiated a criminal case and prosecuted Nguyen Minh Hieu, born in 2003 and residing in Hanoi, for the crime of rape. The prosecution was approved by the People's Procuracy of Area 4 in Phu Tho province.

The incident occurred on July 5, 2026, at the Lynn Times Thanh Thuy resort in Thanh Thuy commune, Phu Tho province. The victim, a 2002-born US citizen of Vietnamese descent who was in the country for a banking internship, reported that she was coerced into sexual intercourse after being encouraged to consume excessive amounts of alcohol. According to the victim's legal representative, she attempted to resist but was overpowered by force.

The victim reported the incident more than two weeks after it occurred, citing health and psychological issues that required inpatient treatment. Investigators have collected evidence, including electronic messages and a handwritten apology from the suspect, to proceed with the legal process under Article 141 of the Penal Code.