Report AISVN Owner Arrested for Public Disturbance and Financial Probe

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Photo: VN Express

 

Nguyen Thi Ut Em, the owner of the American International School Vietnam (AISVN), has been arrested in Ho Chi Minh City on charges of disrupting public order and inciting vandalism at the school's entrance. Police are also investigating two other individuals, Do Linh Phuong and Nguyen Thanh Trieu, in connection with the incident.

 

The allegations stem from late March, when Em and several others reportedly gathered at the AISVN campus gate amid a management dispute, causing a disturbance that impacted local security and social order. The incident has prompted the Ho Chi Minh City Inspectorate to look into potential illegal capital mobilization by the school's managing body, the AISVN American International Education Joint Stock Company. This inquiry focuses on loan and education investment contracts signed with parents.

 

AISVN, established in 2006, follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Tuition fees range from VND280–350 million (US$11,000–13,750) for kindergarten, VND450–500 million for primary education, and VND600–725 million for middle and high school. The school employs approximately 130 foreign teachers, 26 Vietnamese teachers, and over 100 additional staff.

 

In late 2023, AISVN attracted controversy when parents demanded repayment of substantial debts. They claimed that the school had engaged in borrowing tens of billions of dong without interest or collateral via loan and investment contracts, offering free tuition to their children under the promise of repayment once the students graduated or transferred. However, parents reported that the promised repayments never materialized.

 

The ongoing investigation seeks to clarify the extent of financial misconduct and ensure accountability for any violations related to these schemes.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-05-01