>>Cinema department heads resign after USD2 million fraud case
The Vietnam Ministry of Public Security is working with Interpol to issue an international search warrant for a former accountant at the Central Cinema Department who is now wanted nationwide following the embezzlement of a hefty sum of money.
Pham Thanh Hai, 34, is charged with forging documents and misappropriating VND42 billion (US$2 billion) from the department.
He was just a staff member of the department’s finance and accounting office, but authorized to withdraw money from banks when the chief accountant was absent.
Hai was found having faked payment orders and signatures to take out the money from the department’s bank accounts between 2009 and May 2011.
He is suspected to have fled overseas.
Earlier, the head of the Central Cinema Department and his deputy were forced to step down following strong protests from movie industry influences about the misappropriation.
Industry influential people have hinted at corruption and a cover-up by the two since the embezzlement had gone on for three years but the duo claimed to know nothing about it.