Vietnam prosecutes 28 officials for environmental monitoring fraud

Vietnamese authorities have initiated criminal proceedings against 28 individuals involved in a large-scale scheme to falsify environmental monitoring results across 10 laboratories. The investigation, conducted by the Ministry of Public Security, spans four different ministries and sectors, involving various research institutes and centers nationwide.

The suspects, many of whom hold high-level management positions including directors, deputy directors, and department heads, are charged with ‘forgery in office’ under the Penal Code. Initial findings indicate that the accused manipulated monitoring data to change failing results into passing ones, failed to follow proper sampling procedures, and issued fraudulent documents to collect fees.

The crackdown affects several major institutions, including the Institute of Energy and Environmental Science and Technology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the Institute of Occupational Safety and Hygiene under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, and centers under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam National Chemical Group. Of the 28 suspects, 24 have been placed in temporary detention while four remain at liberty under travel restrictions.