TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office will reexamine Taiwan TV host Mickey Huang's (黃子佼) deferred prosecution agreement and determine whether additional penalties should be imposed.
A police search of Huang's home in 2023 unearthed seven sexually explicit videos involving minors and the entertainer on April 3 accepted a two-year deferred prosecution arrangement for possessing the footage. However, amid a backlash by the public over what was seen as a lenient sentence, prosecutors on Wednesday (April 10) submitted the case to the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office for reconsideration, reported CNA.
On June 19, 2023, internet celebrity Zofia alleged that when she was 17 years old, a senior show business figure forcibly kissed her in a car and a hotel room and convinced her to pose for topless photos. The same day as the allegations, Huang uploaded three videos to his Facebook page saying he regretted breaking people's trust.
The Taipei City District Prosecutors Office instructed Taipei police to search Huang's residence, studio, and other locations and summoned him for questioning. After the interrogation, Huang was ordered to post bail of NT$350,000 (US$11,000), with restrictions on leaving the country.
In addition, a victim protective order was issued, prohibiting Huang from contacting or harassing the victims and their families.
Police found seven sexually explicit videos of children and teenagers during the search. Huang was then charged with breaching the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童及少年性剝削防制條例).
He was offered a two-year deferred prosecution agreement and agreed to pay NT$1.2 million within six months. He also agreed to write an apology letter within three months after the agreement was confirmed.
Taipei City District Prosecutors Office on Wednesday said that it had sent the case to the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office for reconsideration. The High Prosecutors Office will categorize it as a "superior prosecutor's reconsideration case" and will review the reasons for the deferral of prosecution by the Taipei City District Prosecutors Office and the reasons for reconsideration by the prosecutor.
It will then decide whether the penalties imposed by the Taipei City District Prosecutors Office are complete and whether to return the case for further investigation or reject the motion for review.
In addition, Huang was also accused of forcing a woman to engage in sexual intercourse, engaging in indecent acts, and filming explicit videos in a studio in Taipei's Xinyi District in 2013. However, prosecutors determined that there was no evidence, and since both parties settled and the woman withdrew her complaint, Huang was not prosecuted.
Regarding Zofia's allegation that Huang forcibly kissed her when she was a teen, prosecutors said that, if true, it would constitute a violation of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法), which is a prosecutable offense only upon a complaint. However, prosecutors say the woman did not file a complaint, and a settlement has been reached.
As for Zofia's accusation that Huang forced her to film a semi-nude video, prosecutors believe that there was not enough evidence to determine that sexual harassment or forced indecency had occurred. The woman did not file a complaint, and no specific unlawful criminal acts were found, so the case was closed, said prosecutors.
Prosecutors said that accusations that Huang had committed drug-related offenses are being investigated as a separate case.