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On April 22, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court sentenced Trần Hữu Cường (39, from Quảng Trị; former director of PVcomBank’s Go Vap Branch) to two years in prison for “intentional disclosure of official secrets” under Article 361(2) of the Penal Code.
According to case files, in August 2025 the Ho Chi Minh City Criminal Police Department investigated reports of usury in civil lending involving Nguyễn Văn Đang (and accomplices). The lending interest rate was 0.5% per day, equivalent to 182.5% per year.
On July 21, 2025, investigators sent a document requesting PVcomBank Go Vap Branch to assist by providing Đang’s account information to clarify the wrongdoing.
At the time, Cường, who served as branch director and had ties with Vy Bảo Ngọc (Đang’s wife), learned that Đang’s account was under police investigation. He then texted Ngọc via Zalo to inform her.
By July 28, 2025, Cường ordered staff to provide a copy of the police document and forwarded it to Ngọc via Zalo. After receiving the information, Ngọc showed it to her husband to devise a counter strategy.
Immediately afterward, Nguyễn Văn Đang deleted all data related to the usury activity from his mobile phone to erase traces.
The court found Cường’s conduct dangerous to society, directly infringing the functions of a state agency and affecting the progress of the case. However, considering his good conduct, lack of prior criminal records, and cooperation during the investigation, the court applied mitigating circumstances when delivering the sentence.
Regarding Vy Bảo Ngọc and the involved bank staff, investigators concluded Ngọc did not hold an official position, and the staff acted under instruction without knowing the self-serving purpose. As a result, there was no basis to prosecute them criminally.
The court ultimately sentenced Cường to two years in prison for “intentional disclosure of official secrets.”
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