More details released on criminal empire operated by former senior vietnamese police officer

Vietnamese news outlets have detailed further information on the criminal online empire built by disgraced and currently detained former Vietnamese police general Nguyen Thanh Hoa (60), former head of the High-tech Crime Police Department.

Hoa was involved with the alleged head of the criminal organisation, Phan Sao Nam, former chairman of the VTC Online Telecommunications Company, and Nguyen Van Duong, former CEO of Hi-tech Security Development and Investment Ltd. Co. All three alleged ringleaders have been arrested and are being charged with online gambling related and money laundering offences.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the illegal enterprise used the internet to illegally appropriate assets, organise gambling rings, trade fake invoices and launder money in Phu Tho Province and other localities.

The Phu Tho police investigating the gambling elements have reportedly seized more than VND1 trillion (US$43.9 million), and found that an estimated $3.6 million in foreign currencies was illegally transferred to overseas accounts.

A Ministry of Police spokesman said that Hoa will initially be jailed for four months whilst further investigations take place.