TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei District Court set the initial verdict and sentencing in the corruption case of former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) for Thursday.
Over the weekend, the court ordered Ko and three co-defendants to appear at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, reported CNA. Ko is accused of accepting bribes as mayor, in addition to embezzlement and financial fraud while running for president.
Ko is charged with accepting bribes totaling NT$17.1 million (US$533,000) to benefit a real estate developer in the sale of the Core Pacific City property. For this charge, prosecutors seek a 15-year prison sentence and a fine of NT$50 million (US$1.5 million), with the verdict expected Thursday.
Ko will appear in court alongside Core Pacific Group Chair Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇), and Ko’s former office manager Lee Wen-tsung (李文宗). The prosecution’s primary evidence against the defendants is a hard drive seized from Ko’s home, which allegedly contains bribes Ko accepted from Sheen, per UDN.
When asked on Sunday if he is worried about the case, Ko said he would not speculate on hypothetical questions. Ko said that the more important issue is how to rebuild the public’s trust in Taiwan’s judicial system, reported UDN.
The founder of the Taiwan People’s Party is also charged with embezzling NT$68.3 million (US$2.1 million) in political donations and using a charitable donation inappropriately to pay the salary of campaign staff. For the first charge, prosecutors seek a five-year sentence, and in the second, six years.
Ko, who represented the TPP as a candidate for president in the January 2024 elections, is also accused of fraud by misrepresenting revenues and expenditures on campaign finance documents. On this count, he faces a possible jail sentence of two and a half years.
If Ko is convicted on all cases and receives all maximum sentences, he faces a total of 28 years and six months behind bars. Ko has claimed innocence throughout the investigation and trial.
The panel of judges has the right to interpret and adjust compulsory sentences, and may hear inquiries from the prosecution or defense before or after a verdict. Ko and his lawyers, or Taipei Prosecutors may seek adjustments or delays during Thursday’s court session.
Taipei prosecutors began investigating Ko’s finances in August 2024 and indicted him in December 2024. Ko was held in detention from January 2, 2025, through Sept. 8, when he was released on bail for NT$70 million (US$2.1 million).
Since his arrest, Ko’s political supporters have criticized the charges as politically motivated. Some in the public also expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of prosecutors handling the investigation and Ko’s detention.
