Vietnamese court upholds death sentence
of real estate tycoon Truong My Lan
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- A Vietnamese appeals court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence for wealthy real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, local media reported.
Lan was convicted of financial fraud, including embezzlement, bribery and banking violations, and sentenced to death in April in what is the Asian nation's largest-ever financial fraud case.
Prosecutors said Lan, chairperson of real estate firm Van Thinh Phat, caused Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank, which she controlled through shell companies, to lose about $44 billion over a decade.
She was convicted of embezzling $12.5 billion, with the remaining $27 billion having been misappropriated.
The 68-year-old real estate tycoon appealed her conviction, but judges at the People's High Court of Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday said there were no mitigating factors to reduce her sentence, local online newspaper VnExpress reported.
The law permits for the court to reduce her death sentence to life imprisonment if Lan can return three-fourths of the $12.5 billion she was convicted of embezzling, the judges said.
The high-profile trial included 84 defendants who were all convicted, including Lan's husband, Hong Kong investor Eric Chu Nap-kee.
South Korea’s parliament votes to impeach
President Yoon over martial law declaration
sending country into celebratory frenzy
South Korea’s parliament overwhelmingly voted Saturday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched attempt to impose martial law — sparking celebrations across the democratic nation.
Yoon’s presidential powers and duties have been suspended after the National Assembly passed the motion, 204-85, leaving Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the country’s No. 2 official, to pick up the job.
The Constitutional Court will decide in the next 180 days whether to permanently remove Yoon — which, if pursued, would result in a snap election.
The suspended politician, however, slammed the ruling as a “temporary” pause of his presidency and promised in a statement he would “never give up.”
“I will carry with me all the criticisms, encouragement and support directed toward me, and I will continue to do my utmost for the country until the very last moment,” Yoon said.
The move comes just 11 days after Yoon shockingly declared martial law and sent hundreds of troops and police officers to Parliament as part of an unsuccessful attempt to stop its members from reversing his decree.
In doing so, Yoon “committed rebellion that hurt peace in the Republic of Korea by staging a series of riots,” the impeachment motion alleges.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik said Yoon’s impeachment was an outcome driven by “the people’s ardent desire for democracy, courage and dedication.”
The impeachment vote was the National Assembly’s second in a week. The first attempt was shot down by ruling party lawmakers, many of whom had been swayed following severe public outcry and Yoon’s tanking approval ratings.
Hundreds of thousands of people celebrated the impeachment outside the parliament Saturday, with many waving banners and glow sticks.
“The impeachment has been done in line with the people’s demand and I hope a decision to dismiss Yoon Suk Yeol will come as soon as possible,” said Kim Su-bong, a protester. “I’m very happy and moved. I view it as a victory of the people.”
US Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg wrote on X that the US supports South Korea’s “democratic and constitutional process here and stands with its people.”
Acting leader Han has already ordered the military to bolster its security posture to prevent North Korea from launching provocations by miscalculation. He has also emphasized to other foreign governments that the change of power would not impact his nation’s external policies.
“I earnestly ask public servants this. At this moment, we have the critical task of ensuring normal and stable operations of state affairs … I ask you to carry out your duties without any neglect to ensure that the government is operated without being shaken,” Han said in a televised statement.
In the meantime, Yoon is not permitted to leave South Korea. His defense minister and police chief and two other high-level figures have been arrested over the martial law enforcement.
Yoon enjoys the presidential privilege of immunity from criminal prosecution, however that would not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.
He is the second conservative president in a row to be impeached in South Korea. Park Geun-hye was removed from office in 2017.
With Post Wires
Auditor Alleges $160M Indigenous Contract Went to Non-Indigenous Canadian Venture
A former auditor for the government’s indigenous procurement program says a $160 million contract meant for indigenous businesses was awarded to a joint venture that served as a front for a non-indigenous company.
Garry Hartle, a former senior compliance auditor for Indigenous Services Canada, told the parliamentary government operations committee on Dec. 10 that Pedabun 35 Nursing Inc. and Canadian Health Care Agency Ltd. were in a joint venture for contracts to deliver nursing care services to remote indigenous communities. He said the joint venture was a “shell” for a non-indigenous company.“My audit determined that the joint venture was a shell for the non-indigenous Canadian Health Care Agency (CHCA). This business took advantage of the naivety of the owner of Pedabun 35 Nursing Inc. to win and execute a large set-aside contract,” he said.
Hartle said he considered the $160 million contract fraudulent and recommended to the government that it refer the case to the RCMP.
“I presented the evidence ... which was substantial, to indicate there was fraud. And my recommendation was that [it be given to the] RCMP to investigate. But they didn’t want any trouble, so they didn’t do it,” he said.
"They" refers to Justin Trudeau's federal Liberal government.
On Dec. 9, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu told The Globe and Mail that she was calling for an external review of the PSIB in response to Hartle’s allegations, calling them “concerning.”
“If proper checks and balances are not in place to protect the integrity of a program like that, then it undermines confidence in that program,” she said.
It also undermines confidence in that government!
The Canadian Health Care Agency did not respond to an Epoch Times request for comment before press time.
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