Who "assisted" Viet A?

Millions of test kits were sold at inflated prices.

According to the investigation's conclusions, in early 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the Ministry of Science and Technology approved a research project to develop and manufacture Covid-19 testing kits.

Phan Quoc Viet, General Director of Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company (hereinafter referred to as Viet A Company), colluded with Mr. Trinh Thanh Hung, Deputy Head of the Department of Science and Technology for Economic and Technical Sectors (Ministry of Science and Technology), to help Viet A Company participate in a research project with the Military Medical Academy, and then used the research results to create a registration dossier to submit to the Ministry of Health .

Viet also requested Nguyen Van Trinh (former assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister), Nguyen Thanh Long (former Minister of Health ), and Nguyen Huynh (former secretary to Mr. Long) to intervene, influence, and direct the Ministry of Health to issue a decision granting registration numbers for COVID-19 test kits to Viet A Company. The defendants' actions transformed COVID-19 test kits, originally research products owned by the State and managed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, into assets owned by Viet A Company, in violation of the law.

When Viet A Company began commercial production, Viet instructed them to inflate the unit price structure. Investigations revealed that the maximum production cost of a test kit was only slightly over 143,000 VND/kit, including a 5% profit margin and all other expenses. However, the Ministry of Health still negotiated and determined the price to be 470,000 VND/kit.

Furthermore, Viet and his accomplices committed a series of bidding violations. The defendant instructed subordinates to contact intermediary companies and medical facilities, agreeing to deliver test kits to these units for prior use before legitimizing the bidding documents and settling payments. Viet also confessed that after Viet A Company received payment according to the contract, he instructed his subordinates to pay large sums of money as "commissions" outside the contract to intermediary companies or medical facilities.

The investigation revealed that during the period of 2020-2021, Viet A Company produced a total of nearly 8.8 million test kits, sold nearly 8.4 million, and received payment for nearly 6 million kits, totaling over 2.25 trillion VND. Phan Quoc Viet was recommended for prosecution for violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences and losses to the State exceeding 432 billion VND; and for bribery amounting to over 106 billion VND.

Former Health Minister receives $2.25 million in bribes.

The Investigation Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security determined that in order to participate in scientific research projects, obtain registration numbers for circulation, and negotiate the price of test kits, Phan Quoc Viet gave a total of 3.45 million USD and 4 billion VND to officials in various ministries and agencies.

The two defendants, Chu Ngoc Anh (left) and Nguyen Thanh Long,

Among these cases, Viet bribed former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long with $2.25 million. Long is accused of knowing that the test kits were products of a state-owned research project, and that Viet A Company did not meet the requirements for product registration. Despite this, when Viet requested it, Long instructed his subordinates to facilitate Viet A Company obtaining temporary, and then permanent, product registration.

During the price negotiation process for test kits, the inspection team discovered that Viet A Company had violated regulations regarding production materials. They recommended that the Ministry of Health revoke the company's registration number, but Mr. Long did not issue the directive in a timely manner. To date, the defendant has also failed to issue the inspection conclusion as directed by the Prime Minister.

This behavior led to Viet A Company selling test kits to various units and localities at inflated prices, causing exceptionally large losses. Furthermore, when Viet A Company manufactured and commercialized the test kits, Mr. Long even introduced them to leaders of several localities, facilitating the company's product sales.

Another former official accused of receiving money from Phan Quoc Viet is Chu Ngoc Anh, former Minister of Science and Technology. Chu Ngoc Anh was aware that the research project on the test kit was state-owned and that Viet A Company was using the results improperly, but he failed to perform his duties and responsibilities as a manager.

Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh also allowed the Ministry of Science and Technology to hold a press conference and issue a press release about the Viet A test kit; directly signed the decision to award commendations and signed the submission requesting the Prime Minister to commend Viet A Company; and instructed a deputy minister to sign a document sent to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to help the company receive the Third-Class Labor Medal, which was not awarded to the company.

Specifically, the former Minister of Science and Technology received a "thank you" of $200,000 from Phan Quoc Viet. The investigating agency determined that Chu Ngoc Anh did not conspire, agree, or create any obstacles to force Viet to give the money. Therefore, the defendant is recommended for prosecution for violating regulations on the management and use of state assets, causing losses and waste, with damages amounting to nearly 19 billion VND of state budget funds spent on research for the Covid-19 test kit.

38 defendants and 6 charges

Thirty-eight defendants have been recommended for prosecution on six different charges. Among them, Phan Quoc Viet and Vu Dinh Hiep, Deputy General Director of Viet A Company, are both accused of violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences and of bribery.

The two defendants, Chu Ngoc Anh and Pham Cong Tac, former Deputy Ministers of Science and Technology, have been recommended for prosecution for violating regulations on the management and use of state assets, causing losses and waste.

Six defendants have been recommended for prosecution on charges of accepting bribes, including: Nguyen Thanh Long; Pham Duy Tuyen, former Director of the Hai Duong Provincial Center for Disease Control; Trinh Thanh Hung, former Deputy Head of the Department of Science and Technology for Economic and Technical Sectors (Ministry of Science and Technology); Nguyen Minh Tuan, former Head of the Department of Medical Equipment and Facilities (Ministry of Health); Nguyen Huynh, former Deputy Head of the Drug Price Management Department (Drug Administration Department, Ministry of Health); and Nguyen Nam Lien, former Head of the Planning and Finance Department (Ministry of Health).

21 defendants have been recommended for prosecution for violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences; 2 defendants have been recommended for prosecution for abusing their influence over persons in positions of power for personal gain; 2 defendants have been recommended for prosecution for abusing their positions and authority while performing their official duties; and 2 defendants have been recommended for prosecution for bribery...

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