The 'Rescue Flight' Scandal Ends
A good day for investigators
Good morning! Shortly after I sent out yesterday’s subscriber-only newsletter, the Ministry of Public Security announced the conclusion of its blockbuster investigation into the repatriation flight scandal. The results are worth an article of their own, so in a Vietnam Weekly first, here is the second paid edition of the week. You can subscribe to receive all future exclusive editions for US$5/month or US$50/year below.
On to the news.
Old-Fashioned Corruption at Incredible Scale
The repatriation flight scandal is a classic of the anti-corruption campaign at this point, dating back to January 2022. In case you aren’t familiar with the basics of this case, some background is available here.
This is one of the most repugnant scandals in recent memory, as dozens of officials brazenly took advantage of fellow Vietnamese desperate to get home during a global health emergency.
It’s worth wondering why there weren’t stronger guardrails in place to prevent something like this from happening, but investigators should be commended for how thoroughly they’ve uncovered criminal activity.
They have recommended charges including giving bribes, accepting bribes, fraudulently appropriating property, and abuse of power against 54 people across the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport, Government Office, and other organizations.
It’s also clear from the level of detail reported in local media (both Vietnamese and English) that the authorities want to make an example of the accused.
Let’s run through the incredible numbers linked to the highest-level officials implicated in the scandal, starting with former Deputy Foreign Minister Tô Anh Dũng, who was arrested for investigation last April.