TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A couple suspected of having embezzled about NT$250 million (US$7.4 million) in donations by HTC Corporation Chairwoman Cher Wang to a religious group was freed on bail in the United States, reports said Saturday.
The couple, named as Jonathan Chang, 60, and Grace Chang, 57, obtained the funds from 2004 until January this year while pretending to recruit donations for a religious group calling itself the “Home of Christ 4” Christian Church, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
They were arrested at their home in Cupertino, California, on February 8 and freed on bail of US$200,000 (NT$6.6 million) each, reports in the Taiwanese media said Saturday. While the husband was in charge of financial affairs at the church, they apparently made sure that monthly donations ended up in a separate account they had set up. They reportedly told prospective donors that the funds were needed for the construction of a new church building, but they never told other members of the group that they had received large sums of money.
The Changs were indicted for fraud and money laundering, which could see them face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years each or a maximum fine of US$250,000 (NT$8.2 million) each if eventually found guilty by a court.
Official comments in the US did not reveal the name of the donor targeted by the Changs, but Taiwanese media identified her as Wang.
HTC in Taiwan did not comment on the reports. Wang is a daughter of late Formosa Plastics Group founder Y.C. Wang, once one of the wealthiest business people in the country. Under Cher Wang, HTC developed into a globally known brand of cell phones.
US couple charged in scam against HTC chair
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