Real estate tycoon sentenced to nine years in jail

Real estate tycoon Phan Van Anh Vu has been given a prison sentence of nine years for disclosing state secrets by Hanoi People's Court.

Real estate tycoon Phan Van Anh Vu has been given a prison sentence of nine years for disclosing state secrets by Hanoi People's Court.

Phan Van Anh Vu at a court in Hanoi on July 30

The closed trial for Phan Van Anh Vu, former chairman of the Bac Nam 79 Construction JSC, the Nova Bac Nam 79 JSC, Phan Huu Tuan, former deputy director general of the General Department of Intelligence under the Ministry of Public Security, and Nguyen Huu Bach, an official at the Ministry of Public Security was held on July 30.

After considering all aggravating and extenuating factors, Vu was given nine years of imprisonment, Tuan and Bach were given seven and six years of imprisonment respectively for disclosing state secrets.

Vu is accused of being involved in a lot of property projects under police investigation and the sale of publicly-owned houses. He is also prosecuted and faces a life sentence for abusing his position and Dong A Bank and caused billions of VND in losses.

The wanted notice for Vu was signed on December 21 and he was arrested in Singapore on December 28 for committing offences under the Singaporean Immigration Act and deported to Vietnam.