Gibbs

Today, February 2, 2025, the German daily BILD published an investigative article about the case of Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, Chairwoman of AIC Company. Here is the translation.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, a weapons dealer, has been living in a secret safe house in Germany for a year and a half.

A house – somewhere (undisclosed for security reasons) in Germany. It used to be a small brothel with a pornographic film rental shop in the basement. Today, high-tech cameras are installed on the facade and spotlights illuminate every corner of the safe house's land. Armored limousines are parked in front of the main door, always ready to go. Heavily armed police guard the house around the clock. From neighboring buildings, special units constantly monitor the area around the house.

These special measures are vital for the woman who is the only resident of the shelter. A foreign secret service is said to be hunting Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, the daily “TAZ” wrote in August 2023. An investigation by the daily BILD now shows that since then, the only thing that has separated the 56-year-old woman from enemy agents has been the promise of the German security services: “Nothing will happen to you.”

The most heavily guarded woman in the Federal Republic of Germany!

Ms. Nhan has been living under the protection of the German state for a year and a half. For security reasons, BILD does not publish photos of the house where she is hiding. It is an isolated life. She lives alone – but never alone. Occasionally she visits a delicatessen or a beauty salon, all of which are meticulously planned by the police.

According to information obtained by BILD, in the summer of 2023, Ms. Nhan landed at Frankfurt am Main airport and introduced herself to the German authorities. The results of an investigation by the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) showed that she was a very high-ranking figure in the international arms trade – and she is currently on the run.

Background: In Vietnam, Ms. Nhan is a wealthy, top executive who lives in a luxury villa and heads a large trading company that makes a lot of money from secret deals involving tanks, missiles and drones. She is said to have very good relations with Israel. In addition to Vietnamese and English, she also speaks Russian and a little Chinese. Moscow has awarded the businesswoman two honorary doctorates.

The secret lover of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh

A few weeks after Putin's attack on Ukraine, Ms. Nhan was suddenly ordered to be arrested. The accusation: corruption and fraud. Is it all just a pretext? This well-connected woman is said to be the secret lover of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the newspaper “TAZ” reported in 2023, citing an anonymous letter from Vietnam at the time. In order to harm him and profit from new arms contracts with Russia and China, his opponents tried to eliminate Ms. Nhan.

But Ms. Nhan escaped – first to Japan, then to England and finally to Germany. BILD’s investigation shows: Under the direction of the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Ms. Nhan was first taken to live in an abandoned hotel. Reconstruction of the shelter (mentioned at the beginning of the article) began immediately. A German company is registered in the real estate register. There is no sign of Ms. Nhan or any of her connections in it.

Millions of dollars spent on the shelter

According to reports, the total cost of this shelter and its protection has reached millions of euros. The responsible German security agencies believe that this money has been invested effectively. Accordingly, in exchange for her safety, Ms. Nhan has revealed in depth the dark world of the international arms trade, which German investigators have never known.

BILD has heard: Over the past 18 months, the former director has provided valuable information on arms deals between Russia, China and Vietnam. Ms. Nhan has revealed information on weapons systems, supply chains, money flows and related companies.

Like China, Vietnam has not condemned Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and has remained neutral. Six months ago, Vladimir Putin visited Hanoi, reaffirming good relations with Vietnam and plans to build a “reliable security architecture” with his friends.

Convoy to secret locations

Ms. Nhan was taken to secret locations to be questioned. A convoy of more than 10 cars was driven to the meeting point for this purpose. An effort that is usually only carried out for the German Federal Chancellor or sensitive state guests visiting Germany. “The whole operation is extremely rare,” said a security insider. “I have never seen such a large number of police officers deployed and the length of time it took to implement the measures.”

Germany takes the threat against Ms. Nhan very seriously and there is reason to suspect that the Vietnamese secret service might take action to arrest her. In a case worthy of a movie, Hanoi agents kidnapped Trinh Xuan Thanh from Germany and brought him to Vietnam in 2017. The man was later sentenced to two life sentences.

Since then, relations between Berlin and Hanoi have cooled. By 2022, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had tried to bridge the gap somewhat, speaking of a “strategic partnership” during a visit to Vietnam. But now the Nhan case is straining relations between the two countries. Vietnam has requested the extradition of the woman accused of a crime, but the German government has so far refused.

Nhan sentenced in absentia to 30 years in prison

All that awaits Nhan in Vietnam is a prison sentence. The court sentenced the businesswoman in absentia to 30 years in prison. Although Ms. Nhan fled and her testimony was not taken, based on other statements consistent with the documents and evidence in the file, there is sufficient basis to “determine that Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan (…) is the mastermind, leader and person primarily responsible,” the representative of the Procuracy said at the trial in the fall of 2024. The Vietnamese state has confiscated the villa and other assets of the convicted woman.

BILD asked security agencies many questions about the case of Ms. Nhan. A spokesperson for the BKA explained: “We would like you to understand that the Federal Criminal Police Office does not comment on personal data as a rule.” The state police responsible also did not want to provide any information “about people in danger.”

“The Federal Intelligence Service (BND) reports on relevant topics, in particular to the German Federal Government and in secret meetings of the relevant committees of the German Bundestag,” said a spokesman for Germany’s foreign intelligence agency (BND).

It is unclear how long these protective measures will last. However, BILD has heard that Ms. Nhan is now taking steps to ensure her own security. It is said that the psychological stress will leave its mark [translator’s note: this sentence means that Ms. Nhan is suffering both mentally and physically due to the prolonged isolation]. German security agencies are concerned that the woman who provided this important information may leave for another country. According to the news, the once successful businesswoman still has access to a considerable amount of assets – to hire new bodyguards.

Hieu Ba Linh (Translator)

__________________