Judgments announced for 92 defendants in huge online gambling case
The People’s Court of the northern province of Phu Tho announced its judgments on November 30 for the 92 defendants involved in the major online gambling ring.
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| Former General Director of the Ministry of Public Security’s General Police Department Phan Van Vinh at the court |
Accordingly, former General Director of the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS)’s General Police Department Phan Van Vinh received nine years in prison, along with a fine of VND100 million (US$4,300) for “abusing position and power while performing duties”.
Meanwhile, former Director of the MoPS’s Hi-tech Crime Police Department Nguyen Thanh Hoa got 10 years’ imprisonment for the same charge as Vinh, together with VND100 million (US$4,300) in fines.
Besides, the court also sentenced Nguyen Van Duong, former Chairman of the Members Council of the Hi-tech Security Development and Investment Co. (CNC), 10 years in jail, including five years for “organising gambling” and five years for “laundering money.”
Phan Sao Nam, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the VTC Online Telecommunications Co. (VTC Online), will spend five years in jail, including two years for “organising gambling” and three years for “laundering money.”
The 400-page judgment also clarifies punishment to other defendants who were charged with “using the Internet to appropriate assets”, “organising gambling”, “gambling”, “illegally trading invoices”, and “laundering money.”
According to head of the jury Nguyen Thi Thuy Huong, all defendants had shown regret regarding their activities, and wished for the court’s consideration of mitigating circumstances for them.
During the 28 months of operating software and technological solutions with such card games as Rikvip/Tip.club, 23Zdo, and Zon/Pen, the games’ operators connected with many services, getting companies to set up a system of 5,913 outlets to convert game scores into real money and vice versa.
They attracted more than 42.95 million gambling accounts and earned more than VND9 trillion (US$384.4 million) from the money gamblers sent to the illegal gambling organising service.
