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On April 23, at the Gia Lai Provincial Court’s first-instance criminal trial, the court sentenced four defendants from the locality for the crime of “Fraudulently obtaining assets.” Huynh Thanh Tam (born 1994, resident of Bong Son Ward) received 18 years in prison. Luong Thi Kieu Oanh (born 1991), Bui Thi Le (born 1974, same ward Quy Nhon Nam), and Nguyen Truong Bao Nhan (born 1994, resident of Quy Nhon Ward) were each sentenced to 12 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Tam was a credit officer of a joint-stock commercial bank branch in Binh Dinh (now Gia Lai). From 2021, Tam invested in digital currencies through a “fund” promoted on social media, using both personal funds and borrowed money. By August 2023, investment losses and an inability to withdraw funds led Tam to default.
To obtain money to pay debts, from October to December 2023, Tam provided dishonest information to a client about needing to borrow money to “roll over” the loan. He then enticed and hired people to impersonate borrowers to build trust. The victims were required to open bank accounts, hand over control of the accounts to Tam, or transfer money as instructed.
After receiving money, Tam transferred funds to accounts under his control to pay off old debts and for personal spending. Under the scheme, the defendant defrauded seven victims of a total of more than 65.5 billion dong.
The indictment stated that Oanh, Le, and Nhan did not need to borrow money themselves but participated by posing as borrowers to profit. They directly provided dishonest information and also handed bank accounts to Tam for use, thereby actively aiding the crime.
The panel of judges found that the defendants’ acts were particularly serious, caused substantial economic damage, and negatively affected order and social security.
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