The Department of Economic, Corruption, and Smuggling Crime Investigation (C03) under Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has launched three criminal cases involving 30 defendants in connection with serious violations at Thuan An Group, one of the country's prominent infrastructure contractors.

At a press briefing held on April 4, Lieutenant Colonel Vu Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of C03, confirmed the developments and outlined the scope of the ongoing investigations.

The key case is related to violations of bidding regulations, bribery, and abuse of power in public office, allegedly committed by executives and officials in connection with Thuan An Group’s project operations. This case alone has resulted in 22 indictments, with investigators aiming to finalize the case dossier by early Q2.

Two additional cases involve bribery - one in Ho Chi Minh City, and the other in Dak Lak province - with four individuals indicted across both cases.

According to C03, authorities have seized more than VND 200 billion (approx. USD 8 million) and USD 140,000 in cash as part of the investigation.

High-profile arrests and expanding probe

Earlier, Nguyen Duy Hung, Chairman of the Board at Thuan An Group, and Nguyen Khac Man, Deputy CEO, were charged with violating bidding laws and offering bribes.

On April 22, 2024, Pham Thai Ha - then Deputy Chief of the National Assembly Office and assistant to the NA Chairperson - was arrested and charged with abusing official position for personal gain.

By May 4, 2024, the Ministry of Public Security confirmed the arrest and prosecution of eight additional individuals, including Duong Van Thai, former Secretary of the Bac Giang Provincial Party Committee, who was charged with abuse of power while performing official duties.

Dak Lak highway project under scrutiny

In mid-April 2024, C03 sent a formal request to the Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee to provide all documents related to Package No. 3, involving the construction of Km0 to Km20+500 of the Ho Chi Minh Road eastern bypass around Buon Ma Thuot, awarded to Thuan An Group.

The police are seeking full cooperation from provincial departments and agencies to examine potential irregularities in this high-value project.

From humble beginnings to infrastructure powerhouse

Thuan An Group, formerly known as Thuan An Development Construction and Trading JSC, was established in August 2004 by Nguyen Duy Hung, with a modest initial charter capital of VND 3.9 billion.

The group specializes in infrastructure construction, renewable energy and power trading, and real estate investment.

Between 2011 and 2018, Thuan An Group rapidly expanded through multiple rounds of capital increases, positioning itself as a major player in infrastructure development.

By 2014, its registered capital had grown to VND 300 billion, and by 2021, that figure had nearly tripled to VND 800 billion.

In recent years, the company has won dozens of construction bids, including multi-hundred-billion-VND government contracts, making its current entanglement in corruption investigations a significant concern for both public governance and the construction industry.

T. Nhung