The background of a tycoon, the chairman of the Wood Association was arrested for gambling in a hotel

On January 20, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department announced that it is continuing to expand its investigation into the particularly large disguised casino at the Diamond Club (located at the Ramana Hotel, 323 Le Van Sy Street, Ward 13, District 3).

This casino was raided on the evening of December 17, 2024.

This is identified as a gambling den operating in the form of baccarat, attracting many gamblers who are businessmen and famous people in the country.

At the scene, authorities seized cash, foreign currency and many related exhibits with a total value of up to tens of billions of VND. Notably, a gambler participated with up to 18 billion VND in just one day.

Among the arrested gamblers, some are famous businessmen and business owners in the country.

One of them is Mr. Do Xuan Lap - Director of Tien Dat Wood Industry Joint Stock Company, and also Chairman of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association (Viforest) from 2019 to present.

As Chairman of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association (Viforest), Mr. Do Xuan Lap (67 years old, residing in Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province) often appears in the mass media to comment on the difficulties, challenges as well as market trends and opportunities of the Vietnamese wood industry.

In addition to the above position, Mr. Lap is also the legal representative of Tien Dat Wood Industry Joint Stock Company, (National Highway 1A, Area 7, Bui Thi Xuan Ward (Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh).

The company was established in 1999, originally named Tien Dat Company Limited. Mr. Do Xuan Lap is Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director.

When it was first established, the company only had a small workshop on Hoang Van Thu Street (Quy Nhon). In 2001, due to the need to expand production, the company invested in building a factory in Phu Tai Industrial Park, increasing the factory's operating capacity from 30 containers/month (in 1999) to 70 containers/month.

The company's wood products have been exported to many markets, with turnover soaring from 2.65 million USD in 2001 to 12 million USD in 2004, a 4.5-fold increase after 3 years. After that, the company continued to expand production activities and improve processing capacity.

In July 2007, Tien Dat Company Limited changed its name to Tien Dat Wood Industry Joint Stock Company. Tien Dat Wood Industry specializes in manufacturing interior and exterior products, forestry products, handicrafts... to serve domestic consumption and export needs.

The company's website also introduces Tien Dat Wood Industry as a business specializing in providing wood products. After many years of development, this business has become one of the 100% Vietnamese-owned wood manufacturers, by differentiating and committing to three core services: safe and clean factories, infrastructure and on-time delivery.

At the end of March 2019, Mr. Do Xuan Lap revealed that the annual export turnover reached 40-45 million USD.

In the inspection conclusion of the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs dated March 30, 2023 on compliance with the provisions of labor law, social insurance, unemployment insurance, occupational accident and disease insurance at Tien Dat Wood Industry Joint Stock Company, the results of production and business activities in 2022 were stated.

Of which, the company's revenue reached 939 billion VND, pre-tax profit is expected to reach 52 billion VND. This company was once in the top 500 largest enterprises in Vietnam.

In November 2019, Mr. Do Xuan Lap was elected Chairman of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association for the fourth term (2019-2024).

Previously, regarding the case, on January 2, a representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department's Staff Department said that the Criminal Police Department in coordination with District 3 Police had dismantled a large-scale gambling den inside a hotel on Le Van Sy Street.

According to Ho Chi Minh City Police, Diamond Club is owned by Viet Star Hotel Company Limited (Ramana Hotel on Le Van Sy Street, District 3) and invested by Pham Trinh Phong (49 years old, in Tan Binh District).

Phong took advantage of being licensed to operate electronic games with prizes for foreigners to organize for Vietnamese people to participate in illegal gambling.

During the investigation, PC02 determined that Phong had directed Pham Thi Thanh Hang - Deputy General Director and managers, shift leaders, employees, and receptionists of the club to find and entice many people to participate in gambling at Diamond Club (Ramana Hotel) with an especially large amount of gambling money.

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