On March 5, the trial of the Van Thinh Phat case began. There is a detail related to this case that state media hardly “dare” to report.
That is the information, Nguyen Cao Tri, chairman of the Board of Directors of Van Lang Company, chairman cum general director of Capella Group, has been prosecuted for the crime of “Abuse of trust and appropriation of assets.”
The Government’s Electronic Information Portal, on March 4, had a quite detailed news: “Prosecution of Nguyen Cao Tri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Van Lang Company, Chairman and General Director of Capella Group.”
The news said that Nguyen Cao Tri’s behavior was not an accomplice with female “tycoon” Truong My Lan, in acquiring, embezzling, and appropriating money from SCB Bank. The relationship between Nguyen Cao Tri and Truong My Lan is a partnership. Initially, this relationship was about cooperation, project investment, and share trading. In particular, Truong My Lan transferred more than $40 million to Nguyen Cao Tri to buy and sell business projects.
When Truong My Lan was arrested, Nguyen Cao Tri had the intention of appropriating that money, by instructing a number of employees under his authority to destroy all documents and evidence related to Truong My Lan’s transfer money for him.
According to observers, the prosecution, detention and prosecution of Nguyen Cao Tri, on the charge of “Abuse of trust and appropriation of property” has many unclear signs and contains many hidden secrets.
In particular, Tri has mysteriously disappeared since early 2023, without his family knowing where he is. At that time, there was reliable information revealed that he was “invited” to work by the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Ministry of Defense and the General Department of Military Intelligence – TC2.
The things just mentioned are completely consistent with the information that Lieutenant General To An Xo announced at the regular Government press conference on the afternoon of August 5, 2023 in Hanoi.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security said that on January 15, 2023, the Police Investigation Agency of the Ministry of Public Security issued a decision to probe and temporarily detain Nguyen Cao Tri for the crime of “Abuse of trust and appropriation of property” according to Clause 4, Article 175 of the Criminal Code.
According to analysts, only the Government’s Electronic Information Portal “dared” to report on the prosecution of Nguyen Cao Tri, on March 4, before the trial of Truong My Lan’s case. The reason, according to knowledgeable people, is that Nguyen Cao Tri asked Minister To Lam to find a way to “solve the case.” However, this did not escape the eyes of the Military Intelligence Agency (TC2). They quickly “invited” Tri to work.
That is why, the Ministry of Public Security ordered the prosecution and arrest of Tri from January 2023, but it was not announced until August 2023, and why, until now, Nguyen Cao Tri has officially indicted.
That is also the reason why, only the Government’s Electronic Information Portal dares to publish information about the prosecution of Nguyen Cao Tri.
This case occurred in the context of the race to win the position of General Secretary for the next term, which is extremely fierce between potential opponents Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, State President Vo Van Thuong and Minister of Public Security To Lam.
In the commentary “What will come after the turmoil in the Party leadership,” author Zachary Abuza, commented on candidate PM Chinh, who is expected by analysts to is the only “special” case that will stay in the upcoming 14th National Congress.
Zachary Abuza said that the fact that a series of cases related to AIC Company and its Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan were repeatedly brought up by Minister To Lam is evidence that Lam is making efforts to ” “tripping” the PM.
According to analysts, candidate To Lam has shown a weakness when making unusual moves. That is the continuous attack on other candidates, including the arrest and expansion of investigation into high-ranking officials in Lam Dong province, who are involved in the case of Nguyen Cao Tri.
Lam Dong is an important political area of Truong Thi Mai – Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat and Head of the party’s Central Organizing Commission.
This makes To Lam’s ability to stay on the list of “key” personnel of the 14th National Congress quite difficult. Don’t forget, the other remaining factions in the Party today all have a common determination: “Whoever is the General Secretary is fine, but that person is not Minister To Lam!”
Tra My – Thoibao.de
