It is the first time Lan is in the dock without her husband, Chu Nap Kee, who is not challenging a two-year sentence he was handed for money laundering in October.
A verdict is expected on Apr 21 and Lan will be defended by eight lawyers, according to state media.
The 68-year-old was found guilty of laundering US$17.7 billion and illegal cross-border trafficking of US$4.5 billion.
She was also found guilty of bond fraud to the tune of US$1.2 billion.
The court determined that Lan was “the mastermind, committed the crime with sophisticated methods, many times, causing especially serious consequences”.
Thirty-three other defendants were also sentenced at the court in Ho Chi Minh City and given terms ranging from two to 23 years in prison.
Twenty-seven of them are appealing against their sentences, state media said.
During her first trial in April, Lan was found guilty of embezzling US$12.5 billion but prosecutors said the total damages caused by the scam totalled US$27 billion – equivalent to around 6 per cent of the country’s 2023 GDP.
Lan owned just five percent of shares in SCB on paper but at her trial the court concluded that she effectively controlled more than 90 percent through family, friends and staff.
Tens of thousands of people who had invested their savings in the bank lost money, shocking the communist nation and prompting rare protests from the victims.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/vietnam-property-tycoon-truong-my-lan-money-laundering-appeal-begin-5022706
