Vietnam Authorities Investigate Embezzlement of Temple Donations

Lạng Sơn Province in Vietnam is grappling with a series of corruption cases involving the misappropriation of public donations at religious sites, prompting swift action from law enforcement.

In early June, the Investigation Security Agency of the Lạng Sơn Provincial Police initiated a case and charged three individuals, Phạm Tuyết Lê, Vũ Thị Chuyền, and Kiều Thị Thúy Hường, for allegedly embezzling billions of dong from Kỳ Cùng Temple. This case highlights a significant breach of trust at a revered local site.

“

If temples manage their own income and expenditures without reporting, it becomes very difficult for authorities to inspect and supervise.

Further investigations followed on June 4, when the police launched another case and charged seven individuals in connection with financial irregularities at the Tam Thanh scenic relic site. Preliminary findings suggest that individuals responsible for managing ticket sales and collecting fees at Tam Thanh conspired to embezzle over 173 million dong since the beginning of 2026.

“

Self-regulation is important, but we cannot rely solely on it. To prevent embezzlement, effective inspection and supervision mechanisms are necessary.

More recently, in early July, a larger-scale case surfaced at the Bắc Lệ Communal Temple in Tân Thành commune. Notably, among those implicated are Phùng Văn Quang, the Deputy Chairman of Tân Thành Commune's People's Committee and Head of the Bắc Lệ Temple Management Board, and Trương Xuân Hữu, Deputy Head of the Tân Thành Commune Party Committee's Inspection Commission and former Deputy Chairman of the Commune People's Committee.

Associate Professor Lê Quý Đức, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Culture and Development at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, commented on the recurring issue. He attributed the core problem to deficiencies in the management and oversight mechanisms for revenue collection. "If temples manage their own income and expenditures without reporting, it becomes very difficult for authorities to inspect and supervise," Đức stated, emphasizing the need for close collaboration between local government, religious institutions, the Fatherland Front, and religious management agencies. He stressed that while self-regulation is important, effective inspection and supervision mechanisms are crucial to prevent embezzlement, ensuring transparency and public trust.

“

The province's stance is to tighten management, ensuring openness and transparency throughout the process of receiving, counting, and using funds.