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> it’s about creating incentives against committing those crimes.

Which can only happen if the punishments are consistent and non discriminatory.

> the message the US tends to give is that corruption is an acceptable cost of doing business.

"You won't be murdered on a technicality." Is actually a really great shore investment pitch.

Is embezzling billions of dollars a technicality? The fact that Vietnam might even execute a businesswoman for stealing a huge amount of money doesn’t make me any less interested in doing business there.

Over several years. From a bank she held a controlling interest in. With 85 other defendants. It's nice to imagine the buck stops with her. Apparently the people who've passed this sentence are hopeful for this outcome.

So.. "you won't be murdered to cover up state incompetence." If you like.

The government head auditor covering up for her bank got life sentence, the auditor’s bosses (2 of them) got 11-year sentence.

It's a great investment pitch for actual conmen, too.

But you can't just invest your way in a successful fraud, in either system. You generally need to also have the political machine protecting you, otherwise the thing will eventually unravel, and 'your' plunder might get clawed back.

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