On the morning of January 13, the court issued sentences to Luu Binh Nhuong, Le Thanh Van, and several others in a high-profile case involving extortion and abuse of power for personal gain.

Luu Binh Nhuong, a former National Assembly delegate and Deputy Head of the People’s Aspirations Committee, received a 13-year prison sentence for extortion and abusing his position to profit.

Le Thanh Van, another former National Assembly member, was sentenced to seven years for abusing his position for personal gain.

Other sentences included:

Nguyen Van Vuong: 14 years for abusing power to profit.
Pham Minh Cuong: 7 years for extortion.
Vu Dang Phuong: 6 years for extortion.

Case details

Luu Binh Nhuong, who served as a delegate of the 14th National Assembly (2016–2021) for Ben Tre Province, was accused of leveraging his position between 2018 and 2023 to intervene in various cases for personal benefit.

One of the key incidents occurred in mid-2021 when Pham Minh Cuong approached Nhuong to intervene on his behalf. Cuong had exploited Red Star Company’s provincial branch and sought Nhuong’s help to maintain his operations. In return, Cuong sold Nhuong a 30-hectare tidal flat at a discounted price of 900 million VND ($38,000).

Nhuong used his influence to contact the Thai Binh Provincial Police and other local agencies to secure favorable conditions for Cuong. Over time, Cuong and his accomplices extorted over 1.6 billion VND ($67,000) from Red Star Company.

Abuse of National Assembly status

In December 2020 and May 2021, Nhuong used his position as a National Assembly delegate to send official letters to leaders in Hai Phong, urging them to resolve matters favorably for an individual named Thao. This intervention allegedly earned Nhuong a wooden gate worth 75 million VND ($3,100) and access to a plot of land valued at 160 million VND ($6,700).

In another instance, Nhuong intervened in March 2021 to push the government to approve Manh Duc Company’s project in Que Vo III, Bac Ninh Province, receiving $300,000 in return.

Similarly, he pressured Quang Ninh authorities to allow Ha Long Company to resume a 36-hectare project, securing personal benefits, including a plot of land worth over 1.8 billion VND ($75,000) and an additional 1,000 square meters of land valued at 1.9 billion VND ($79,000).

From July to October 2023, as Deputy Head of the People’s Aspirations Committee, Nhuong continued his pattern of intervention, aiding Truong Sinh Company in obtaining permits for a project in Bac Son Hills, Quang Ninh Province. For this, he received 210 million VND ($8,800).

Co-defendants and their roles

Le Thanh Van, another high-ranking official, was found guilty of signing multiple documents advocating for Ha Long Company’s interests in the 36-hectare project, benefiting from land plots worth millions of VND.

Nguyen Van Vuong, a former legal specialist, sought assistance from both Nhuong and Van, ensuring Ha Long Company’s continued project operations. Vuong personally gained over 26 billion VND ($1.1 million) through these efforts.

The court’s rulings underscore the severity of corruption involving abuse of power and highlight Vietnam’s commitment to combating such offenses. All defendants were found guilty of leveraging their official capacities for significant personal gains, betraying public trust.

Trong Tung - Pham Cong