Vietnamese woman gets death sentence for embezzling

HANOI, Vietnam -- A businesswoman was sentenced to death in southern Vietnam for embezzling nearly $1 million from the government-owned company she headed, state-controlled media reported Saturday.

Truong Thi Thanh Huong, the former director of the An Giang Food Company, was convicted of stealing the money during her tenure from 1996 to 1999, the Thanh Nien newspaper said.

More than 600 officials have been brought to court this year for involvement in 280 corruption cases.

They are among thousands of corruption cases being investigated, state media have reported.

Also Saturday, the government-controlled Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper said a senior police official has backed down from an earlier statement that Cabinet-level officials were likely to be implicated in an expanding mafia case.

On Thursday, Deputy National Police Chief Le Thanh had told local reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing National Assembly session that "in the coming time, higher ranking officials may be prosecuted. I think there will be several other officials, not just vice ministers."

The case revolving around Ho Chi Minh City mafia boss Truong Van Cam, known as Nam Cam, has ensnared more than 150 people so far, including top government and police officials.

In quotes published Saturday, Thanh backed down from his remarks, saying that he was speaking only in general terms regarding the prosecution of top officials, and not referring to the Nam Cam case.

"People who violate laws must be considered and dealt with in accordance with the laws regardless of their position," he said. "When I said that, I mean cadres ... who committed crimes will be dealt with, not specifically mentioning the Nam Cam case."

It was unclear why he changed his statement.