During the court hearing on the afternoon of January 5, 2026, the Hanoi People’s Court interrogated former key officials of the Vietnam Food Administration (Ministry of Health) regarding the receipt of funds for approving product registration dossiers.
The mechanism of illicit gains According to court testimonies, the approval of thousands of health supplement certificates was accompanied by “gratitude payments” from businesses. The defendants admitted that the standard rate was 2 million VND for each successfully signed dossier. These funds were channeled through intermediaries, including heads of specialized departments and affiliated centers, before reaching the agency’s leadership.
Reported use of the funds When questioned about the disposal of the illegal proceeds, the former officials provided various explanations:
-
Community contributions: Two former Deputy Directors-General stated they allocated a significant portion of the funds (totaling over 12 billion VND) to social activities, such as building charity houses, funding scholarships, and other philanthropic works.
-
Personal and collective support: The former Director-General testified to using 44 billion VND to assist relatives and colleagues, as well as to sponsor internal sports tournaments.
Defense perspectives At the stand, some defendants argued that at the time of receiving the money, they did not perceive it as bribery but rather as a token of appreciation for guiding businesses through the regulatory process. Nevertheless, following the prosecution’s allegations, the defendants have coordinated with their families to return the illicit gains for remedial purposes.
The trial is scheduled to continue its cross-examination on January 6, 2026.