The Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency has just issued an investigation conclusion, proposing to prosecute 8 defendants in the case of bribery; receiving bribes; violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences occurring at the Vietnam Education Publishing House One Member Co., Ltd. (Education Publishing House) and related units.

The police investigation agency proposed to prosecute Mr. Nguyen Duc Thai, former chairman of the Education Publishing House, for bribery.

The defendants To My Ngoc, former chairwoman of the board of directors of Phung Vinh Hung Company; Nguyen Tri Minh, director of Minh Cuong Phat Company were also proposed to be prosecuted for bribery...

Put billions in the safe in the office right after receiving the "thank you gift"

The investigation concluded that Mr. Thai received a total of nearly 25 billion VND to facilitate two companies to participate in providing textbook printing paper.

Specifically, around June and July 2017, before the Education Publishing House began purchasing printing paper, Ms. To My Ngoc met with Mr. Thai to ask for help in participating in and winning the bid to supply printing paper for textbooks and exercise books for the 2018-2019 school year. Ms. Ngoc promised to thank him and Mr. Thai agreed.

Thanks to Mr. Thai's facilitation, after winning the bid, signing and executing the contract with the Education Publishing House and its member units, in December 2017, Ms. Ngoc prepared 3 billion VND from her personal fund.

Ms. Ngoc divided this amount of money into 6 piles, each pile of 10 sheaves, each sheaf of 50 million VND, put in a paper bag and put another paper bag of the same type on the outside.

After that, Ms. Ngoc texted to make an appointment and Mr. Thai agreed. Ms. Ngoc carried the bag of money to Mr. Thai's office (on the 9th floor, Education Publishing House headquarters, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi).

Entering the office, Ms. Ngoc left her purse next to the coffee table and said "a little thank you gift" because Mr. Thai helped the company win the bid.

After Ms. Ngoc left, Mr. Thai opened his bag to check and put the money in the safe in the office.

Notably, to be included in the list of participants in the purchasing packages and continue to supply printing paper, before each time the Education Publishing House organized a purchase, Ms. Ngoc went to see Mr. Thai.

During these meetings, Mr. Thai agreed to let Ms. Ngoc's company continue to participate in offering and supplying printing paper.

When the Marketing Planning Department of the Education Publishing House made a short list of suppliers to send request documents, Mr. Thai reviewed them all. Only when he saw the names of Ms. Ngoc's companies did he agree to approve the list.

After being helped, winning many bids and signing contracts, To My Ngoc always went to Mr. Thai's office and gave him 4 billion VND/year to thank him.

In 4 years, from 2018-2021, Ms. Ngoc met Mr. Thai 4 times and gave him a total of 16 billion VND. Before meeting, Ms. Ngoc texted and called him first.

"The way Ms. Ngoc gives money is the same every year, usually at the end of the year or the beginning of the new year. She prepares the money herself and puts it in a Tet gift bag. Then she carries the bag of money and goes to Mr. Thai's office alone to thank him," the investigation concluded.

In addition, on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2018 - 2022, Ms. Ngoc gave Tet gifts of 200 million VND/year, the total amount was 1 billion VND.

The police investigation agency determined that from 2017 to 2022, To My Ngoc gave Nguyen Duc Thai a total bribe of 20 billion VND so that Mr. Thai would create conditions for Ms. Ngoc's companies to win 13 bids and procurement packages worth a total of more than 2,100 billion VND.

Receive money, direct subordinates to legalize procedures for businesses to win bids

In addition to receiving money and creating favorable conditions for Ms. Ngoc's company, Mr. Thai was also accused of receiving money many times to "help" Nguyen Tri Minh, director of Minh Cuong Phat Paper Company Limited.

Specifically, the investigation concluded that around July 2017, Mr. Minh went to Mr. Thai's office to meet and introduce his company as a paper supplier to the Education Publishing House in previous years.

At the same time, Mr. Minh requested and was given the opportunity to continue his company as a paper supplier. This company was then included in the list and won package number 6.

In September 2017, Mr. Minh brought a box of cakes, a bottle of wine and 400 million VND in a paper bag, continued to the office to give the gift bag to Mr. Thai to thank him.

At the same time, Mr. Minh proposed and Mr. Thai agreed to let his company win package number 7. Mr. Thai then directed his subordinates to legalize the procedures so that Mr. Minh's company could win the bid.

Just like last time, after successfully "asking for help", Mr. Minh continued to bring gifts and a bag of 2.5 billion VND to the office to meet and thank Mr. Thai.

In addition, from 2018 to 2020, in order to be included in the list of participants and suppliers of printing paper, Nguyen Tri Minh met, requested and was agreed by Mr. Thai to continue participating in offering and supplying printing paper.

Thanks to Mr. Thai's help, Mr. Minh's company won three bids. This person then brought gift bags with a total of 2 billion VND to thank Mr. Thai three times.

The police investigation agency alleges that from 2017 to 2020, Nguyen Minh Tri gave a total bribe of 4.9 billion VND to Mr. Nguyen Duc Thai to be facilitated to win bid packages.

Mr. Thai confessed that all the times he gave bribes, there were only two people in his office, so no one witnessed the money being given.

After receiving the money, he put it in the safe behind his desk and used it for personal expenses.

During the investigation, Mr. Thai confessed honestly, repented, returned 3 billion VND in bribes, and voluntarily handed over seized assets to remedy the consequences of the case. Meanwhile, Ms. Ngoc returned 19 billion VND, and Mr. Minh returned 2.7 billion VND, the profits from the 2017 bidding packages, to remedy the consequences of the case.