Lan, clad in a blue shirt and wearing a mask, was escorted into the French colonial courthouse by two policewomen.
The hearing started after she and 33 co-defendants who include her husband and niece arrived at the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court in vans, accompanied by a phalanx of siren-blaring police vehicles.
Lan is in good health and has been cooperating with the investigation, according to one of her four lawyers.
The 67-year-old Lan and the others face charges of alleged fraudulent appropriation of property, money laundering, and the illegal transport of currency across international borders in a trial that could last until Oct 19.
She is also charged with allegedly appropriating more than 30 trillion dong (S$1.6 billion) from 35,824 investors through bond issuances.
Denne historien er fra September 20, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 20, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
On social media
CLOSE SHAVES ON STAGE: Hong Kong \"Heavenly Kings\" Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok gave their fans a scare at their respective concerts on Dec 27.
Playground for Birds and Squirrels
Hungarian artist Tamas Kanya (above) with the feeding ground he created for birds and squirrels in Budakalasz, a central Hungarian town, in November.
Gal Gadot diagnosed with blood clot in brain during pregnancy
Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who gave birth to her fourth child earlier in 2024, revealed that she was diagnosed with a massive blood clot in her brain during the eighth month of the pregnancy in February.
Taiwanese singer Vivian Hsu caught in Bukit Timah flash floods
Taiwanese singer-actress Vivian Hsu (right) was caught in the flash floods that occurred in Bukit Timah following an afternoon deluge across Singapore on Dec 29.
Yuewen Music Festival Complaints abound, but K-pop stars lift spirits
Complaints about the inaugural three-day Yuewen Music Festival held at Sentosa's Siloso Beach did not abate on its second day on Dec 29, as irate attendees continued to lash out about inconveniences related to bad weather.
4 places that remind me why travel matters
The writer visited Zambia, Alaska, Sicily and Venice to venture beyond her comfort zone
Usher in New Year in Japan like a local
Eat traditional food, visit a shrine and see the Japanese imperial family
New destinations for the new year
Up-and-coming places include Yunnan, Okinawa, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania
Lions Bring Back Belief But Still Need To Improve
The Lions' run to the Asean Championship semi-finals has reignited belief in the national team, said observers a day after Singapore's campaign was ended by Vietnam in the last four.
Be Bold Against The Old
Ogura dares younger Lions to stop being 'too nice' and fight for playing time
