Truong My Lan, a prominent billionaire businesswoman in vietnam, has been handed a death sentence in what is deemed the world's largest bank fraud case. The verdict was delivered by a court in Ho Chi Minh City, marking a significant development in Vietnam's efforts to combat financial crime.

The 67-year-old real estate tycoon faced allegations of orchestrating a bank fraud scheme totaling a staggering $44 billion, equivalent to approximately 3 percent of Vietnam's GDP in 2022. Truong My Lan, one of the few women in vietnam to face capital punishment for white-collar crimes, was accused of embezzling funds from the Saigon Joint Stock Commercial bank over an 11-year period.

Reports from a source indicate that Lan allegedly controlled the bank from 2012 to 2022, using her influence to conduct illicit transactions through thousands of shell companies while bribing government officials. The prosecution argued that she owed the bank a staggering $27 billion, a sum deemed unlikely to be recovered.

The trial, described as the world's largest bank fraud case, involved an extensive legal process, with 2700 witnesses, 200 lawyers, and 10 government prosecutors presenting evidence. The evidence, contained in 104 boxes weighing a total of 6 tons, was meticulously examined by the court. In addition to Truong My Lan, 85 individuals were sentenced in connection with the case, with punishments ranging from life imprisonment to 20 to 30 years in jail. Notably, Lan's husband and niece received sentences of 9 and 17 years, respectively.

Truong My Lan's arrest in october 2022 was part of a broader anti-corruption campaign in vietnam, which has seen the resignation of two presidents and two deputy prime ministers, along with the incarceration of numerous government officials. Lan's case serves as a stark reminder of the government's determination to tackle corruption at all levels, even among the country's wealthiest individuals.