Two former senior Vietnamese police officers, both ex-officials of the Ministry of Public Security, will soon be indicted for their roles in a high-profile online gambling ring busted last year.

The police department in the northern province of Phu Tho concluded an investigation into the case and submitted the results to the provincial People’s Procuracy on Wednesday.

The submission also included the suggestion that 92 suspects involved in the criminal ring be prosecuted.

Phan Van Vinh, who retired as director general of the Ministry of Public Security’s police general department in July 2017, and Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former head of the ministry’s hi-tech crime prevention unit, were among the suspects.

Vinh, 63, an ex-lieutenant general, and Hoa, 60, a former major general, are both charged with “abusing positions and powers while performing duties.”

They were previously arrested and had their honorary title as a People’s Public Security Officer stripped by the state president.

According to the case file, police in Phu Tho broke up the online gambling ring in September 2017.

Officers took Nguyen Van Duong, a Hanoi resident, into custody after determining he was one of the ring leaders.

Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former head of the high-tech division under the Ministry of Public Security. File photo: Tuoi Tre

Phan Sao Nam, former chairman of the management board of VTC Online, a subsidiary of the Vietnam Television Corporation (VTC), was also cited as playing a significant part in the group’s illegal operations.

Officers have requested that Duong and Nam be prosecuted for gambling and money laundering.

The two suspects ran the gambling ring through Hi-Tech Security Development and Investment Ltd. Co. (CNC), a company started by the pair to operate the online gambling ring.

Vinh and Hoa were crucial to helping the gambling operations grow from its headquarters in Phu Tho into a cross-country network with thousands of dealers and sub-dealers.

At the police station, Vinh has admitted to providing favorable conditions for Duong and his accomplices to run the illicit ring.

Meanwhile, Hoa vehemently denies wrongdoings.

Duong also claimed he gifted VND27 billion (US$1.17 million) to Vinh and VND22 billion ($957,198) to Hoa. Officers are still verifying the claim.

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