Truong My Lan, CEO of a Vietnamese real estate company, allegedly embezzled a total of 11.4 billion euros over a period of ten years. This is reported by n-tv. The sum corresponds to three percent of Vietnam's gross domestic product. These are charges against 85 people, eight of whom are currently at large. According to state newspaper Tuoi Tre, Lan denies any guilt and shows no remorse.
Truong My Lan was arrested in October 2022
The fraud allegations are extensive and include, among other things, the falsification of around 1,300 loan applications between 2012 and 2022. This money is said to have been paid by the Saigon Commercial Bank, of which the company itself was 90 percent owned. Lan. According to n-tv, more than 40,000 savers were affected.
The case caused a stir in Vietnam, with hundreds of people in Hanoi and the economic metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City protesting against the alleged fraud. Lan was arrested in October 2022.
Anti-corruption measures also have disadvantages
Vietnam has taken a hard line against corruption in recent years. Since 2021, more than 4,400 people have been charged with corruption allegations. However, the death penalty now demanded for Lan is rarely imposed for economic crimes.
However, anti-corruption measures could endanger the country's economic stability, as Krone reports. Local authorities and officials are reluctant to approve infrastructure investments for fear of being subject to investigations.
Germany ranks 9th in 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index
In the current “Corruption Perceptions Index 2023”, published by Transparency International, Germany continues to be among the ten least corrupt countries in the world. This is reported by the newspaper “ZDF today”.
However, the vice president of Transparency Germany, Margareta Bause, explains that this constant ranking shows that Germany has made little progress in the fight against corruption. While Germany is handling the corruption problem relatively well, Transparency International still sees deficits. One of them refers to the bribery of deputies.