Phu Tho (VNA) – The People’s Procuracy of the northern province ofPhuc Tho announced the arraignments on November 21 for the main defendantsinvolved in a major online gambling ring.

Theprocuracy said that the nature and scope of the case have endangered society.The 92 defendants involved were charged with “using the internet to appropriateassets”, “organising gambling”, “gambling”, “illegally trading invoices”,“laundering money”, and “abusing position and power while performing duties”.

They areaccused of being involved in the ring that organised online gambling throughthe card game Rikvip/Tip.club, led by Phan Sao Nam (former Chairman of theBoard of Directors of the VTC Online Telecommunications Co. – VTC Online) andNguyen Van Duong (former Chairman of the Members Council of the Hi-techSecurity Development and Investment Co., or CNC).

Accordingto the indictment, Duong and accomplices used high technology to commit thecrimes, occuring in Phu Tho, some other localities, and even nations overseas,with the support of Former General Director of the Ministry of Public Security(MoPS)’s General Police Department Phan Van Vinh and former Director of theMoPS’s High-tech Crime Police Department Nguyen Thanh Hoa.

During the28 months of operating software and technological solutions with such cardgames as Rikvip/Tip.club, 23Zdo, and Zon/Pen, the games’ operators connectedwith many services, providing companies to set up a system of 5,913 outlets toconvert game scores into real money and vice versa.

Theyattracted more than 42.95 million gambling accounts and earned more than 9trillion VND (384.4 million USD) from the money gamblers sent to the illegalgambling organising service.

Theprocuracy brought to light a number of pieces of evidence and documents provingthat Vinh knew about CNC’s operation of online gambling games but failed totake any suitable action.

It saidthat Vinh and Hoa were prosecuted for “abusing position and power whileperforming duties”, an offence that has the maximum penalty of 15 years inprison.

Accordingto the procuracy, Vinh was the mastermind who directed Hoa to create favourableconditions and cover up for Duong and his accomplices in their gamblingactivities. Vinh was also charged with concealing the case from his superiors,seeking ways to regulate the operation of these games while being checked bythe inspectorate agency.

Therefore,the procuracy recommended the jury accuse Vinh of “abusing position and powerwhile performing duties” and sentence him to from seven years to seven yearsand six months in prison.

Meanwhile,Phan Sao Nam pleaded guilty as stated in the indictment. Through the organisationof illegal gambling, Nam pocketed over 1.47 trillion VND (62.7 million USD).

The procuracyproposed the jury charge Nam with “organising gambling” and“laundering money”, and imprison him to from six to seven years for bothcounts.

The agencyalso recommended the jury to impeach Duong for “organising gambling” and “laundering money”, and sentence him from 11-13 yearsimprisonment for both crimes.

Theprocuracy suggested the jury consider the role as an accomplice to the defendantsin organising gambling, and defining the position and role of each of thedefendants. –VNA