Mr. Le Duc Tho's criminal behavior is related to violations at Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited.
Mr. Le Duc Tho received many gifts from Ms. Mai Thi Hong Hanh - Director and President of Xuyen Viet Oil, including a set of golf clubs worth 1.1 billion VND and a Patek Philippe Plus watch, worth 421,000 USD; and a Mercedes-Benz S450 Luxury car, worth 6.7 billion VND.
Together with many other amounts, Mr. Tho received a total of 1.07 million USD. Mr. Tho stated that he had deposited 440,000 USD at a relative's house, so he returned it to the police; the rest was spent.
Hearing about some of Mr. Le Duc Tho's personal items, everyone is stunned. As a cadre, he wears a branded watch worth 421,000 USD, drives a Mercedes-Benz S450 Luxury worth 6.7 billion VND, truly "thinking the sky is the limit".
"Considering the sky is the limit" because here it is not just a matter of greed, but also too brazen, too contemptuous of the law and too contemptuous of the people.
For many years, Mr. Le Duc Tho worked in the banking industry, through positions such as Chief of Office of the State Bank, Chairman of the Board of Directors of a bank. With that position, of course he lived a full and happy life. But greed is a terrible magic, dragging many people down to the abyss, Mr. Le Duc Tho is one of them.
When he held the position of Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee, the highest leader of a locality, he did not stop there. Le Duc Tho continued to take advantage of his position and authority to "protect" the Xuyen Viet Oil Company.
All for money, because of not knowing enough. Because of greed, they trample on morality, disregard the law. The country is still poor, the people are still suffering, but officials play golf with billion-dollar clubs, how can that be? If officials like Le Duc Tho are not arrested, it is too dangerous for the country.
As a leader, you must focus on providing jobs for the people and creating favorable conditions for businesses to produce and trade, not using your position to "force factions" or protect corrupt merchants. Mr. Le Duc Tho has "systematically violated" and chosen assets as the value of his life as an official, and the consequences are clear.
Another lesson for officials, having a watch to tell time is enough, having a safe car is enough. Don't be like Le Duc Tho, wearing a Patek Philippe Plus, driving a Mercedes-Benz S450 to run to... prison.
