Prison terms reduced for 13 defendants in major gambling ring
The Hanoi-based High-Level People’s Court has decided to reduce the imprisonment penalties for 13 defendants that were involved in an online gambling ring, considered the biggest of its kind uncovered in Vietnam so far.
Defendants listen to the verdict of the appeal trial on March 12 (Photo: VNA)
Phu Tho (VNA) – The Hanoi-based High-Level People’sCourt has decided to reduce the imprisonment penalties for 13 defendants thatwere involved in an online gambling ring, considered the biggest of its kinduncovered in Vietnam so far.
On the last day of the eight-day appeal trial inPhu Tho province on March 12, the court accepted part of the appeals of 13defendants, while rejecting those of the 23 others.
It upheld the rulings on the two mastermindsbehind this ring, Phan Sao Nam (former Chairman of the Board of Directors ofthe VTC Online Telecommunications Co. – VTC Online) and Nguyen Van Duong(former Chairman of the Members Council of the Hi-tech Security Development andInvestment Co. – CNC).
Accordingly, Nam has to spend five years behindbars for “organising gambling” and “laundering money”. Meanwhile, Duong serves10 years in jail for the same offences.
Although Nam and Duong did not appeal againstthe first-instance trial’s verdict, they were still brought to the appeal trialsince they were included in the appeal lodged by the Phu Tho provincialPeople’s Procuracy.
The high-level court also upheld other rulingsof the previous trial and rejected the Phu Tho procuracy’s appeal.
Earlier, the Phu Tho People’s Court held thefirst trial in November 2018, trying 92 defendants charged with being involvedin the online gambling ring.
The defendants also included former police generalsPhan Van Vinh and Nguyen Thanh Hoa.
While Vinh got nine years in prison for “abusingposition and power while performing duties”, Hoa received a 10-yearimprisonment sentence for the same offence. They did not appeal against therulings.
The online gambling ring, which included cardgames such as Rikvip/Tip.club, 23Zdo, and Zon/Pen, attracted more than 42.95million gambling accounts and earned more than 9.85 trillion VND (428.2 millionUSD) in revenue. –VNA
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Defendants listen to the verdict of the appeal trial on March 12 (Photo: VNA) 
