US embassy cable - 04HOCHIMINHCITY838

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000838 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/A, CA/VO/L/F, AND EAP/BCLTV 
 
BANGKOK FOR REFCOORD 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREF, CVIS, KFRD, VM 
SUBJECT: TRIAL OF AMERASIAN FRAUD RING IN HO CHI MINH CITY 
 
REF:  02 Ho Chi Minh City 0281 
 
1.  On June 8, a court in Ho Chi Minh City handed down 
sentences to defendants in a case involving an Amerasian 
fraud ring.  Consulate General officers had developed some 
of the initial evidence in this case over two years ago and 
then passed it on to local authorities, as reported reftel. 
The defendants were Vietnamese nationals who organized and 
participated in the fraud ring.  In addition, there were 
several provincial and district-level police officials who 
assisted them. 
 
2.  The principal defendant in the case, Ms. Nguyen Thi 
Thanh Phuong, was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for 
bribery, document fraud and "helping others to escape the 
country illegally."  Ms. Phuong was identified as the head 
of a network which helped purported Amerasians obtain 
fraudulent immigration documents.  Mr. Vo Tan Bien, a former 
captain of Nui Thanh District public security in Quang Nam 
province (central coast of Vietnam) was sentenced to 18 
years for taking bribes and falsifying documents.  Ms. 
Nguyen Thi Thuy Hong, the younger sister of Ms. Phuong, was 
sentenced to seven years for facilitating bribery.  Five 
defendants who were former public security officers were 
given three-year suspended sentences for falsifying 
documents.  Three other defendants also received suspended 
sentences. 
 
3.  There were 12 other police and local government 
officials involved in the case.  While the court said they 
had committed wrongdoing in verifying and certifying 
fraudulent documents, their files were returned to 
prosecutors for further investigation.  The court did not 
agree with the light administrative sanctions these 
defendants had received, so it asked the Ministry of Public 
Security (MPS) to continue its investigations. 
 
4.  Comment:  It is a welcome development to see a 
Vietnamese court give lengthy sentences to a notorious 
Amerasian visa fixer and her collaborators, though it 
remains to be seen whether they appeal their cases.  The 
fact that other defendants -- mostly former MPS officers -- 
got off with only suspended sentences was disappointing, as 
it appears that these individuals are still on the job and 
on the take.  The publicity attached to this trial and 
verdict has prompted renewed questions about the status of 
the Amerasian program.  High levels of fraud, bribery, and 
manipulation were exactly what prompted the Mission to seek 
expanded adjudication guidance from the Department in March 
2002, and subsequently suspend adjudication of new Amerasian 
cases in January 2003, pending a response from the 
Department. 
 
Yamauchi