A nationwide manhunt is underway for a bank employee believed to have stolen VND17bn (USD810,000) from the state-owned Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) in HCM City.
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Police are looking for Nguyen Le Kieu Quang, who is alleged to have disappeared with the cash, which was taken from the bank's Hoa Hung Transaction Office on January 30. Quang was head of the transaction office.
Agribank had sent an escort team to the Mac Thi Buoi Branch on Hai Ba Trung Street to collect VND17bn. Phu Minh Hoa was assigned as team leader, with driver Nguyen Dinh Cong. Quang unofficially joined the team and, as the most senior employee, told the driver to go to a foreign bank on Hai Ba Trung Street after the money was collected.
Quang allegedly told the others to go away while he exchange the money into Euro banknotes. He said he'd call them after the exchange was finished, but neither Quang nor the money were seen again.
Nguyen Hai Long, deputy director of Agribank, said on February 2 that Hoa did not fulfill his duty as a team leader. An escort team should have one driver, one security guard and one employee of the bank. Hoa did not escort the money back to the office, but instead gave it to Quang, who was not an official member of the team.
Agribank reported the case to HCM City police and to the national police in charge of fiscal, monetary, investment crimes.
Phu Minh Hoa was detained for questioning. The driver and a security guard have been suspended. Agribank has formally dismissed Quang.
"We have sent employees to review and support the work at Hoa Hung Transaction Office so it will be business as usual," the bank said in a media release.