The man who called himself "Venerable Thich Tam Phuc" was sentenced to 8 years in prison

The People's Court of Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City opened the first-instance trial of defendant Nguyen Minh Phuc (commonly known as Thich Tam Phuc, 41 years old) for two crimes of fraudulently appropriating property and forging documents of agencies and organizations.

On the morning of August 6, the People's Court of Cu Chi district (Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City) tried in the first instance, sentenced the defendant Nguyen Minh Phuc (commonly known as Thich Tam Phuc) to 3 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "fraudulently appropriating property" and 4 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "using fake documents of agencies and organizations". The total penalty for both crimes is 8 years in prison.

The defendant has long claimed to be "Venerable Thich Tam Phuc, abbot of the Central Hoang Phap Pagoda in Cu Chi district". Since 2021, he has attracted the attention of many social network users when many YouTubers have recorded videos with the content of eating dog meat, vermicelli, roast duck, duck seeds... and there are offensive statements.

At the court procedure, Phuc declared "doctoral education, monastic profession". He is accused of hiring people to make fake papers and degrees to create trust, receive land parcels and then appropriate money.

In this case, the authorities determined that Phuc regularly hired people to make fake papers and degrees related to religion to use; in order to create trust and deceive others. Specifically, although there is no function to carry out procedures for separating the land plot and there is no relationship, the defendant still accepts as a service to collect fees.

Specifically, in 2021, Ms. T., 50 years old, bought a land plot of more than 420 m2 in Binh My commune, Cu Chi district, for 2.4 billion VND but has not been able to carry out the procedures for separating the plot. A year later, through an acquaintance, she came to ask Phuc to carry out procedures for separating into 2 land parcels with separate use right certificates. Phuc accepted, offered a cost of 135 million VND, received 70 million in advance.

However, he went on social networks to hire two fake land use right certificates, gave one to Ms. T. to make news and then asked to give the rest of the money. After that, Ms. T. doubted the legality of this certificate, so she took it to check and found that it was fake, so she reported it to the police.

Knowing that his behavior was exposed, Phuc fled to Thailand, and when he returned home, he was summoned by the police. Searching the accused's house, the investigating agency seized many papers and documents related to the case.

Answering the interrogation of the jury, Phuc admitted the act as indicted, declaring that Mrs. T. (the victim), was led to the "pagoda" (Phuc's house) by others to make papers, but did not know beforehand. The defendant gave an expense of 135 million VND, received 70 million VND in advance.

The chairman asked "why is it not possible to carry out the procedures for separating the land plot, not knowing anyone who can do it but still accepting the victim", Phuc replied: "The defendant saw that the victim was crying, he was too sad, so he did it for him".

Regarding hiring people to forge documents to deceive Ms. T., Phuc declared on the Internet to "type Google out the land document making service", so he contacted her to ask for help, but did not know that these people were forging. In total, the defendant made 6 fake certificates and paid 30 million VND for the service.

In addition, Phuc admitted that the degrees seized by the investigation agency were all fake. "The defendant made this document to commemorate and ask for work," Phuc testified.

Earlier in the interrogation, the defendant Nguyen Minh Phuc constantly burst into tears when he saw his elderly mother and relatives. The defendant admitted the act as indicted. Speaking at the end, the defendant Phuc asked the court to grant him leniency to take care of his elderly mother and continue his practice.

The trial panel said that the defendant Phuc's behavior was enough to constitute the crime of fraudulently appropriating property and forging documents of agencies and organizations. The defendant himself knew that his behavior was against the law, but for the purpose of having money to spend, he gave false information to appropriate Ms. T.'s property. The defendant's behavior is dangerous to society, causing bad public opinion in society, so it needs to be handled strictly.