They face charges including Fraudulent Appropriation of Assets, Market Manipulation, Abuse of Position and Power in Performance of Official Duties, and Intentional Disclosure or Concealment of Information in Securities Activities.

The court has identified 30,403 investors who purchased shares in FLC Faros Construction Joint Stock Company (stock code ROS) as victims in the case. However, only about 30 victims attended the trial.

Several defense attorneys requested that their clients be permitted to use pen and paper and to sit while the indictment was read due to health reasons. The court agreed to these requests and stated it would consider additional health-related accommodations.

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Up to 30,403 victims were summoned, but only about 30 appeared in court. Photo: T. Nhung.

Defendant Le Van Tuan, an auditor with the Hanoi Auditing and Accounting Co., Ltd., requested that the court summon Tran The Linh, Le Van Gio, and Do Manh Ha for cross-examination. Although these individuals were summoned, they were absent. The court will continue to summon them as the trial proceeds.

According to the indictment, Le Van Tuan signed fraudulent audit reports for Faros, which facilitated Trinh Van Quyet in listing ROS shares on the HOSE and defrauding 30,403 investors. Tuan's actions are alleged to violate Clause 4, Article 174 of the 2015 Penal Code, as he is accused of aiding and abetting the former FLC Chairman.

Le Van Tuan admitted during the investigation that the financial statements for 2014, 2015, and the equity capital report from January 1, 2016, to March 21, 2016, were insufficient to issue a fully approved audit opinion. Despite this, he issued reports with fully approved opinions for Faros’s financial statements and equity capital reports, contrary to auditing standards.

These violations are attributed to FLC Group and its affiliated companies being significant and regular clients. Tuan issued reports according to the company's wishes, despite knowing the reports were non-compliant, to secure payment for audit contracts.

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The defendants in court. Photo: CTV

Le Van Do, the former Deputy General Director of Hanoi Auditing and Accounting Co., Ltd., signed the audit contracts for Faros’s financial statements for 2014, 2015, and the first three months of 2016, valued at 100 million VND. Despite being aware of the deficiencies in Faros’s financial statements, Do and Tuan jointly issued audit reports with fully approved opinions.

When Faros applied to become a public company, regulatory authorities and the Association of Practicing Auditors requested a re-audit due to incomplete auditing procedures. However, the Hanoi Auditing and Accounting Co., Ltd. did not conduct a re-audit, and Le Van Tuan continued to co-sign and issue independent audit reports with Nguyen Ngoc Tinh, General Director of the Hanoi Auditing and Accounting Co., Ltd.,.

T. Nhung