Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has expanded the investigation into the notorious corruption case at MobiFone Corporation by arresting five more executives of the mobile carrier.
The headquarters of MobiFone in Hanoi. Photo: VnExpress
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The Supreme People's Procuracy has approved the probe, but has not revealed details of the five’s alleged wrongdoing.
MobiFone Corporation, now the third-largest mobile carriers in the country, in January 2016 acquired a 95% stake of pay TV service provider Audio Visual Global (AVG) for VND8.89 trillion (US$380 million). Government inspectors later found that the deal violated public investment laws and caused an estimated loss of about VND7 trillion ($299 million) to state coffers.
In March, MobiFone and AVG terminated the deal and the group of AVG shareholders paid back the amount plus interests.
Before yesterday, police had arrested nine people allegedly involved in the acquisition, including two former information ministers Nguyen Bac Son and Truong Minh Tuan for possible graft.
Other arrestees include former chairman and general director Le Nam Tra, former general director Cao Duy Hai and former deputy general director Pham Thi Phuong Anh.
Pham Nhat Vu, chairman of AVG, was detained in April on charge of giving bribes.
MobiFone now has only one deputy general director in charge of running the corporation.
