Vietnam has abolished the death penalty for eight crimes, including embezzlement and bribery, under legal reforms passed Wednesday.

The changes may spare real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, sentenced to death for a $12.5 billion fraud case, making her eligible for life imprisonment instead.

Anyone sentenced to death for the removed crimes but not yet executed by July 1 will have their sentence commuted to life in prison, the Associated Press has reported.

Vietnam retains the death penalty for 10 crimes, including murder and terrorism.

Written by B.C. Begley