Wanted man escapes to Laos, changes name, gets hired into government

By Duc Hung December 20, 2024 | 07:30 pm PT

Vi Van Phong at a police station. Photo courtesy of the police

A man in central Vietnam, who was wanted for distributing counterfeit money, went to Laos, changed his name and got hired into a governmental position.

Vi Van Phong, 52, was extradited from Laos to Vietnam by the police of Nghe An on Friday to be investigated for storing and transporting counterfeit money.

In 2003, Phong was found to be storing and transporting counterfeit money, but he escaped and became wanted by Nghe An police.

Authorities said Phong crossed the border to Laos and gained citizenship, changing his name to Vilaisack Vongsa. He was then hired to work at a governmental institution.

In December, Nghe An police caught wind of Phong, and so cooperated with Lao authorities to arrest him.