TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taiwan High Court on Thursday cut a prison sentence for suspended Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an (高虹安) in a defamation case to six months.

The case originated from online allegations by a US-based academic, Chen Shih-fen (陳時奮), that Kao had plagiarized content from studies co-written with three others for her doctoral thesis for the University of Cincinnati, the Liberty Times reported. She rejected the accusations and sued Chen for aggravated defamation.

While the Taipei District Prosecutors Office found similarities between the academic writings, it decided not to pursue the case. Chen then filed a countersuit against Kao, accusing her of making false allegations.

The Taipei District Court ruled in August 2024 that Kao had been trying to silence a critic and sentenced her to 10 months in prison. She filed an appeal against the ruling as she maintained her innocence. However, the Taiwan High Court still found her guilty, only cutting her prison term to six months.

While Kao survived a recall vote on July 26, she is still facing other legal problems. The Taipei District Court sentenced her to seven years and four months in prison for embezzling legislative aide payments when she served as a Taiwan People’s Party legislator. The Taiwan High Court is expected to reach a verdict in the case in November at the latest.