Establish nearly 170 bogus enterprises to purchase illegal invoice

Evidence seized by the police

On October 18, 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City Police's Economic Crime Investigation Division announced an ongoing investigation into a complex case involving the illegal sale of invoices, bribery, and corruption. The alleged mastermind behind this operation is Hoang Phi, who, along with his accomplices, has been carrying out these illicit activities within Ho Chi Minh City.

Investigations have revealed that from 2020 to May 18, 2024, Hoang Phi established a network of 168 bogus companies to facilitate the illegal sale of invoices to various businesses nationwide.

These invoices were sold at a premium of 1.8% to 2.1% of the declared value, enabling the perpetrators to profit without providing any actual goods or services.

To conceal their operations, Hoang Phi frequently relocated his activities. His primary base of operations was identified as an apartment in the Happy One complex located at 107 TL08, Ward 3, Thanh Loc Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City.

To carry out this elaborate scheme, Phi employed a group of individuals to handle various tasks, including drafting contracts and delivery notes to legitimize the illegal transactions. These individuals would then generate fraudulent invoices and sell them to clients using digital signatures from the shell companies controlled by Phi.

Additionally, Phi's associates signed documents on behalf of legal representatives of these shell companies as instructed.

Among those identified as assisting Phi are Phan Tan Trung (born in 1996, from Dong Nai; residing in Hoa Binh commune, Xuyen Moc district, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province; temporarily residing at FelixHomes apartment building, No. 44 Nguyen Van Dung, Ward 6, Go Vap district) and Le Thi Anh (born in 1992, residing in Xuan Loc commune, Trieu Son district, Thanh Hoa province).

Despite efforts to locate them, both individuals have failed to appear for questioning.

To further this investigation, the Ho Chi Minh City Police have issued arrest warrants for Le Thi Anh and Phan Tan Trung, urging them to surrender themselves to the authorities.