Former hospital director sentenced to 21 years in prison for embezzling $4.2m

Nguyễn Minh Quân, former director of Thủ Đức City Hospital, at HCM City People’s Court on Friday. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Court on Friday sentenced the former director of Thủ Đức Hospital to 21 years in prison for embezzling over VNĐ102.5 billion (US$4.2 million) through bidding violations and money laundering.

Nguyễn Minh Quân was sentenced to 16 years for embezzlement and an additional five years for money laundering. 

According to the court, Quân pressured subordinates to award contracts to specific companies and personally benefited from the embezzled amount. 

Quân has also been ordered to pay back over VNĐ102.5 billion. 

His accomplice, Nguyễn Văn Lợi, director of Nguyễn Tâm Company, received a total of 15 years in prison, including 12 years for embezzlement and three years for money laundering. 

Quân’s wife, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Diễm, received a suspended sentence of three years for money laundering.

The remaining five defendants, former officials of Thủ Đức Hospital, received sentences ranging from 2.5 years to 3.5 years for “violations of Bidding Laws, causing serious consequences”.

Quân and his accomplices were found guilty of violating Bidding Laws in the procurement of medical supplies and equipment at Thủ Đức Hospital between 2016 and 2020, causing significant losses to the State budget, according to the court.

Quân appointed companies established by Nguyễn Văn Lợi, based on his orders, to win 27 bids and paid a total of $14.2 million to Lợi’s businesses. 

The amount was between 30-50 per cent higher than the actual price of the medical supplies and equipment Lợi’s companies sold to Thủ Đức Hospital.

The difference between the actual price and the amount paid by the hospital, $4.2 million, was then transferred to Quân and his wife and used for personal purposes, including the purchase of real estate properties and automobiles.

Despite escaping bribery charges by reporting the matter to the police before being discovered, Quân was still sentenced to 21 years in prison. 

Two former officers who accepted the bribe from Quân were sentenced to six and nine years, respectively, at a trial in Hà Nội in September last year. — VNS