News Brief: Australian Businessman Detained in Vietnam Over Loan Deals
Summary
Australian businessman Ranjit Thambyrajah, 65, has been imprisoned without formal charge in Ho Chi Minh City for two months by Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Safety. He is accused of fraudulently promising billions in loans to Vietnamese companies and misappropriating $4.99 million in fees. His lawyer states he has had no access to family or legal counsel in Vietnam. If charged and convicted of embezzlement, he faces decades in prison.
Key Points
- Detention: Ranjit Thambyrajah, founder of Acuity Funding, is held in “temporary detention” in Vietnam, accused of swindling a Vietnamese petrol company, NSH Petro.
- Consular Assistance: The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirms it is providing consular assistance but cites privacy obligations.
- Business Model Scrutiny: Acuity Funding charges large fees for arranging loans, often payable regardless of whether the loan is delivered, leading to multiple international legal disputes.
- Major Legal Cases:
- Vietnam: Central to Thambyrajah’s detention; Acuity allegedly took $4.9M in fees from NSH Petro for undelivered loans.
- Malaysia: A NSW Supreme Court case involves a dispute over $9.88M in fees for a $210M loan that wasn’t provided.
- Singapore/US: New York’s Roe Corporation sued Acuity, calling it a “fraudulent loan scheme,” and lost a bid to stop arbitration in Singapore.
- Key Associate: Financier Lankan Bal, a long-time business associate of Thambyrajah, is involved in these deals. His company Global Wise Investments’ legitimacy has been questioned in court.
- NSH Petro Context: The Vietnamese company was in severe financial distress, and its share price surged on news of the Acuity funding deal that ultimately failed to materialize.
新闻简报：澳大利亚商人因贷款交易在越南被拘留
总结
65岁的澳大利亚商人Ranjit Thambyrajah已被越南公安部在胡志明市拘留两个月，尚未被正式起诉。他被指控欺诈性地承诺向越南公司提供数十亿美元贷款，并挪用499万美元费用。其律师称他在越南无法接触家人或法律代表。如果被起诉并判定犯有贪污罪，他将面临数十年的监禁。
关键点
- 拘留情况：Acuity Funding创始人Ranjit Thambyrajah在越南被”临时拘留”，被指控诈骗越南石油公司NSH Petro。
- 领事协助：澳大利亚外交贸易部确认正在提供领事协助，但以隐私义务为由拒绝进一步评论。
- 商业模式受审：Acuity Funding为安排贷款收取高额费用，且无论贷款是否成功发放费用常需支付，这导致了多起国际法律纠纷。
- 主要法律案件：
- 越南：Thambyrajah被拘留的核心；Acuity被指从NSH Petro收取490万美元费用，但贷款未交付。
- 马来西亚：新南威尔士州最高法院审理一起案件，涉及一笔未提供的2.1亿美元贷款产生的988万美元费用纠纷。
- 新加坡/美国：纽约Roe Corporation起诉Acuity，称其为”欺诈性贷款计划”，并未能成功阻止在新加坡的仲裁程序。
- 关键关联人：金融家Lankan Bal是Thambyrajah的长期商业伙伴，参与了这些交易。其公司Global Wise Investments的合法性在法庭上受到质疑。
- NSH Petro背景：这家越南公司当时陷入严重财务困境，其股价在Acuity融资消息公布后飙升，但该融资最终未能实现。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-24/australian-businessman-ranjit-thambyrajah-jailed-in-vietnam/106174026