Tourism firm director arrested over pandemic flight scandal

By Pham Du   December 9, 2022 | 03:00 am PT
Tourism firm director arrested over pandemic flight scandal
Le Hong Son (R) and Pham Ba Son were arrested as investigation into a pandemic flight bribery scandal continues. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Public Security
A tourism company director was arrested Thursday to be investigated for bribery in a Covid-19 repatriation flight scandal.

Le Hong Son, general director of the Blue Sky Trading, Services and Tourism Company in Hanoi, was arrested by the police of the Ministry of Public Security on Thursday to be investigated for giving bribes.

The same day, Pham Ba Son, a freelancer, was also put under investigation for obtaining property by fraud, although details of the fraud were not clarified.

The arrests were the latest developments in an ongoing investigation regarding a Covid-19 repatriation flight bribery scandal, which has resulted in over 30 people from multiple ministries being arrested, including high-ranking officials like former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung.

The Ministry of Public Security said in June that each repatriation flight earned profits of several billion Vietnamese dong (VND1 billion = $43,600) after deducting costs.

Vietnam had operated around 400 repatriation flights to bring home residents stranded overseas during the global Covid outbreaks.

 
 
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