Business executive in Vietnam corruption scandal says can pay $44M to govt coffers within 5 days

At his ongoing trial in Hanoi, Hau, 44, said he could turn in 2,300 land lots to compensate for the losses he caused through corruption involving 30 high-ranking officials.

The Hanoi People's Court on Tuesday began proceedings against 30 former officials of Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho provinces in the north and the central Quang Ngai Province.

Eleven businesspeople and company employees are also accused of various offences, including bribery, abuse of power and violating commercial contract bidding and accounting laws.

Hau faces all three charges.

Over 15 years of managing the construction firm, he spent VND132 billion on 18 officials in the three provinces to get 14 projects awarded and concealed over VND2 trillion in revenues to evade taxes, according to the prosecutor's office.

Nguyen Van Hau, chairman of construction firm Phuc Son, stands trial in Hanoi, June 24, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Danh Lam

When asked how he plans to remedy the consequences of his actions, he said he has sent several petitions to authorities requesting permission for his family to turn in assets.

According to documents presented by prosecutors, authorities have seized from him 1,419 real estate assets, VND247 billion from his bank accounts, 501 gold bars, and cash in dong and dollars.

Hau told the court he owned another 884 plots of land that people were ready to buy for him to raise more money.

He said selling just 196 of the 884 would generate enough money to cover the entire losses he had caused to the government.

"If allowed, within just four or five days my family [can] ... fully resolve the situation."

Phuc Son Group or he did not owe any money to anybody, he claimed.

When asked about the money he had in his bank accounts, he hesitated before saying: "One has VND200 billion, one has about VND50 billion, and there's interest of VND16 billion that hasn't been withdrawn..."

Asked about the bullion seized during the investigation, he said it was all real gold but he has been unaware of their value after his arrest in February 2024.

At the current price of VND117.5 million per tael of 37.5 grams, the seized gold is worth nearly VND60 billion.

Bribery

Admitting to all accusations and the amounts he was charged with, Hau testified that when executing projects in the three provinces, he often met local leaders such as the Party secretary and chairperson, to seek help.

He assigned his deputy, Pham Ngoc Cuong, to handle officials at lower levels, he said.

In Vinh Phuc, he had personally met two generations of Party secretaries, Hoang Thi Thuy Lan and Pham Van Vong, chairman Le Duy Thanh, and standing deputy Party secretary Pham Hoang Anh.

Defendants stand at the Hanoi People's Court, June 24, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Danh Lam

"How did the negotiation process go?" Chief Judge Tran Nam Ha asked him.

Hau replied: "No negotiation, just a discussion and a request."

"How did you ask Lan?"

"I told her to help me, and I would send a gift to her. I did the same with Thanh."

According to the prosecutors, in Vinh Phuc, Hau was facilitated with executing four real estate projects that had been close to being canceled due to earlier by others in Vinh Tuong District involving a total area of 347 hectares, or an astonishing 2.4% of the district's total area.

In Phu Tho, he won four bid packages for the historical Hung Kings' Temples project by bribing provincial leaders and officials.

In Quang Ngai, Hau and former provincial leaders agreed on a 5% kickback on the contract value.

He explained that since Vinh Phuc, where his company is based, was far from Quang Ngai, he would hand over the money to Dang Van Minh, then director of the province transport department, who would then "distribute it to the others."

When ordered to name the amount, time, location, and method of handing over the money to each official, Hau did so, clearly listing the amounts he had given to 18 individuals.

Former secretary of Vinh Phuc, Lan, is accused by prosecutors of receiving nearly VND50 billion in three installments, the highest amount of all defendants.

But Hau said he gave her VND20 billion at her home in 2017, US$1 million at her home in 2021, and two installments of VND10 billion each in 2022 elsewhere.

The money was delivered by Hau's driver, all in cash.

During the investigation, Lan had admitted to receiving only VND10 billion and US$500,000.

After the completion of his projects, Hau saw great potential for development and asked Lan if she wanted to buy.

She bought 16 plots of land valued at VND50 billion, but only paid him VND34 billion, and so their titles had not been transferred, he said.

During the investigation, Lan sold the lands and turned in VND20 billion out of the VND50 billion she claimed to have received in bribes.

Former chairman Thanh is charged with taking bribes of VND20 billion and $1.3 million.

Hau said he personally handed over the money to him at home and office, and his own house.

Thanh has turned in VND25.5 billion and $1.63 million, more than the amount he is accused of taking as bribes.

Former deputy secretary Anh turned in VND18 billion, though only accused of receiving VND853 million in bribes.

The trial is expected to last 10 days.