Ms. Truong My Lan is known as the Chairman Van Thinh Phat Group. She entrusted many subsidiaries and affiliated companies to her family members and close friends to operate and manage.
At the end of 2011, Ms. Truong My Lan acquired 3 private banks by buying and owning the majority of shares in these banks. On January 1, 2012, 3 banks merged with the name Saigon Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SCB). Ms. Lan owns and controls up to 91.563% of the charter capital, under the names of 27 legal entities and individuals.
With the ownership/controlling power of SCB’s shares as above, Ms. Lan has placed her trusted people in key positions at SCB such as: Board of Directors, Board of General Directors… to use these people. Managing all SCB operations; Use this bank mainly to serve the personal purposes of Chairman Van Thinh Phat.
Investigation results show that, as of October 17, 2022, there were 1,284 loans/875 customers (440 individuals, 435 organizations) with outstanding loans from the group of Ms. Truong My Lan – Van Thinh Phat. more than 677,286 billion VND, group 5 debt is not recoverable.
To withdraw the above amount of money, Ms. Truong My Lan directed a group of subjects at SCB Bank to create a false document as a loan to withdraw money at SCB.
Making false loan documents and withdrawing funds from SCB Bank
The investigation agency determined that among those who actively helped Ms. Lan withdraw money from SCB were two foreign men, Lee George Lam and Henry Sun Ka Ziang.
Mr. Lee George Lam worked at Saigon Commercial Joint Stock Bank from June 2012 to January 19, 2015, holding different positions and positions such as: Member of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCB.
According to investigation documents, in December 2012 – November 2014, Mr. Lee, as First Vice Chairman and Member of the Board of Directors of SCB, signed 8 meeting minutes/votes of the Board of Directors approving 66 customers who were individuals and legal entities belonging to the Van Thinh Phat Group ecosystem, with 68 loans at SCB Bank.
These loans’ outstanding balance as of October 17, 2022 is more than VND 28,002 billion in principal, of which interest debt is more than VND 25,813 billion. The total debt was determined to be more than VND 53,816 billion.
Meanwhile, the total current value of secured assets of the loans for which Mr. Lee signed legal procedures is more than 34,083 billion VND.
The results of the inspection of the signature in the name of Lee George Lam on the documents approving the credit granting of the above loans by the Institute of Criminal Science in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Public Security confirmed – signed by Mr. Lee George Lam.
The investigation agency believes that, with the results of the investigation of the case, there is enough evidence to determine that Mr. Lee is a person with a position and authority who abused his position and power to help Ms. Truong My Lan commit a crime. , appropriating SCB’s money.
This action is carried out through participating in signing and approving loans of individuals and legal entities belonging to Van Thinh Phat Group. And signing and approving loans is not a normal lending activity according to the law.
In fact, the loan documents were created falsely, in order to legalize procedures to withdraw funds from SCB Bank, serving the personal purposes of Chairman of Van Thinh Phat Group.
The investigation conclusion showed that Mr. Lee George Lam’s behavior committed the crime of “Violating regulations on banking activities and other banking-related activities”, causing losses of more than 19,733 billion VND.
After committing the crime as an accomplice with Ms. Truong My Lan, Mr. Lee left the country and it is unknown where this person is. The Investigation Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Lee George Lam.
Another foreign man mentioned in the investigation conclusion is Mr. Henry Sun Ka Ziang. He worked at SCB Bank from April 2015 to before the date of prosecution of the case (October 17, 2022) and held positions such as: Member of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCB.
Investigation documents show that from July 2015 to August 2022, Mr. Henry, as a member of the Board of Directors of SCB, signed 487 meeting minutes/votes of the Board of Directors approving 365 customers who are individuals and legal entities. belongs to the ecosystem of Van Thinh Phat Group, with 602 loans at SCB Bank, with outstanding debt as of October 17, 2022 of more than 430,105 VND in principal debt and more than 147,523 billion VND in interest/fee debt.
The total debt was determined to be more than 577,629 billion VND. Meanwhile, the total current secured assets of the above loans are more than 115,539 billion VND.
As a result of examining the signature in the name of Henry Sun Ka Ziang on the documents approving the above loans from the Institute of Criminal Science in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Public Security confirmed that it was signed by Mr. Henry Sun Ka Ziang.
Thus, the investigation results showed that Mr. Henry abused his position and authority to actively assist Ms. Truong My Lan in committing crimes and appropriating SCB’s money.
According to the Investment Authority, Mr. Henry’s participation in signing and approving loans from individuals and legal entities of Van Thinh Phat Group as above is not a normal lending activity according to the provisions of law. In fact, the loan documents were created falsely to legalize procedures to withdraw funds from SCB Bank for Ms. Truong My Lan’s personal purposes.
Mr. Henry Sun Ka Ziang’s actions committed the crime of “Violating regulations on banking activities and other activities related to banking activities”, causing losses to SCB of more than 462,089 billion VND. Currently, Mr. Henry Sun Ka Ziang has also “run away” and gone abroad and the investigation agency cannot determine where this person is, so they have issued an arrest warrant.
The Investigation Police decided to separate the criminal case “Violation of regulations on banking activities, other activities related to banking activities” related to the actions of defendants Lee George Lam and Henry Sun Ka Ziang.
The Investigation Police Department also decided to temporarily suspend the investigation of the criminal case and the investigation of the accused against these two people.
