>> 17th film festival sets to open despite massive fraud
The Director and Deputy Director of Vietnam Department of Cinema want to resign after VND42 billion (USD2 million) went missing.
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| Lai Van Sinh and Le Ngoc Minh |
On September 12, To Van Dong, head of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s office, confirmed that the ministry received letters of resignation from the department’s Director Lai Van Sinh and Deputy Director Le Ngoc Minh last week.
The ministry set up an investigative agency to work with the department on the case for ten days. This agency will make a report to the ministry on September 22 and then the ministry will make a final decision on how to handle their resignation proposals, Dong shared.
According to the findings of the preliminary investigation, Pham Thanh Hai, the department\'s chief accountant falsified documents in order to withdraw VND42 billion (USD2 million). As soon as the case broke, Hai fled on May 25.
Le Ngoc Minh, the department’s Deputy Director, said “This is fraud. We have fully cooperated with the investigative agency. Pham Thanh Hai is still on the run. The Ministry of Public Security is still looking into the case and has issued a nationwide warrant for his arrest.”
Many artists believe the department’s director and deputy director should take responsibility for the crime because of their lax management. They are asking for further investigation.
The final decisions of the investigative agency will be included in a report, which will be submitted on September 22.
While awaiting the final decision, To Van Dong, Huynh Vinh Ai, who is the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Huynh Vinh Ai, and Ngo Phuong Lan, Deputy Director of the ministry’s Department of International Cooperation, will take over to organise the 17th national film festival to be hosted in the central province of Phu Yen, to take place in December.
