# Fraud and financial crime enforcement in Vietnam

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/fraud-and-financial-crime-enforcement-in-vietnam
> Updated: 2026-09-10T12:38:57.000Z. Sources: 14. Developments: 2.

Vietnamese authorities have been prosecuting various criminal activities involving fraud, theft, and financial misconduct across multiple provinces.

In late August, legal actions included the sentencing of Bùi Thị Nhường to 17 years in prison for a massive energy project fraud in Hanoi, and the prosecution of individuals in Đắk Lắk for using spiritual beliefs to sell lottery numbers via social media. Law enforcement also issued warnings regarding students being recruited to facilitate money laundering and online gambling.

By mid-September, investigations expanded to include a university scandal in Hanoi where a former official allegedly collected 1.9 billion VND for illegal degree programs. Other reported cases involved the misappropriation of funds through fake bank transaction images in Bac Ninh, fraudulent labor recruitment for South Korea in Can Tho, and tax evasion related to land sales in Thai Nguyen. Additionally, authorities addressed the theft of telecommunications equipment in Quang Ngai.

In early September, the Ministry of Public Security expanded an investigation into a major corruption and smuggling case involving Việt Mỹ Medical Investment JSC. This probe led to the arrest of Nguyễn Huy Ngọc, Vice Chairman of Phú Thọ Province, and Lê Đình Thanh Sơn, Director of Phú Thọ Provincial General Hospital, on bribery charges. The investigation follows the prior detention of Deputy Minister of Health Trần Văn Thuấn. The case involves an alleged scheme by Bùi Chân Phương, former Chairman of Việt Mỹ, to use a network of companies in Vietnam, Singapore, and Hong Kong to manipulate the prices of cancer drugs and medical equipment through inflated resale practices.

## Claims

- Dương Quang Thắng was prosecuted for fraud involving over 2 billion VND. (single source)
- Thắng used fake bank transaction images to deceive an Indian national into handing over 115kg of hair. (single source)
- The court returned the case file for further investigation into the Dong Do University fraud case. (single source)
- Nguyen Thi Nu collected over 1.9 billion VND from 27 students for unauthorized classes. (single source)
- Nguyen Thi Ngoc was arrested for defrauding 11 people of 264 million VND regarding South Korean labor jobs. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-10: Phú Thọ Vice Chairman Nguyễn Huy Ngọc arrested for bribery

Vietnamese authorities have arrested Phú Thọ Vice Chairman Nguyễn Huy Ngọc and other officials for bribery in a major medical equipment smuggling and corruption case involving Việt Mỹ Medical Investment JSC.

13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/da-nang-police-arrest-woman-for-hosting-illegal-gambling

### 2026-08-27: Vietnam authorities crack down on diverse fraud and money laundering schemes

Vietnam authorities are prosecuting various fraud cases, including a 17-year sentence for a fake investment scam, spiritual-based lottery fraud, and the recruitment of students into money laundering rings.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/henan-couple-accused-of-fraud-using-10-million-ndt-in-loans-for-luxury-cars

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Cite as: Fraud and financial crime enforcement in Vietnam. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/fraud-and-financial-crime-enforcement-in-vietnam