Tran Quang Chieu, former director of Camimex Company, is found guilty of two counts

Former senior officials at a major Mekong Delta major state-run seacooking exporter and their partners on Monday received jail sentences of up to 12 years for tax fraud.

Chieu and Nguong were arrested last April.

According to the indictment, the pair had in 2002 instructed subordinates to connive with executives from private firms to fake 493 invoices claiming tax rebates of around VND3.6 billion (current US$200,800) for value-added tax on exported goods.

Another former deputy, Tran Van Hoang, got four years while Vuong Trung Tuan, the firm’s former chief accountant, got six years.

Huynh Thanh Phong, who used to be a shrimp dealer from the neighboring Kien Giang Province, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Another person involved in the tax fraud scheme, Duong Thi My Linh, a former company director from Dong Nai Province, is absconding.

Phong and Linh allegedly pocketed 70 percent of the tax rebates while CAMIMEX raked in 30 percent, which was then distributed to its agents.

Three other officials from local factories Truong Viet Thu, Truong Vinh Thang and Tran Thi Nguyet received 2-3 years ofprobation.

The defendants were also asked to return more than the VND3.6 billion they took in tax rebates and nearly VND1 billion for damage caused by their violation of regulations.

Camimex was also found to make products of low quality, causing losses of nearly VND5 billion to the state budget after foreign customers rejected shipments.

Reported by Tran Thanh Phong