TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Independent Legislator Kao Chin Su-mei (高金素梅) and longtime aide Chang Chun-chieh (張俊傑) were indicted Monday over allegations they fraudulently claimed more than NT$7.87 million (US$249,000) in assistant fees and NT$9.33 million in government subsidies, per CNA.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office is seeking a prison sentence of 12 years and six months for Kao, while Chang faces a recommended sentence of 16 years. Prosecutors indicted 24 people in total on charges including corruption, fraud, money laundering, and other offenses.
An investigation launched by the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau’s National Security Division included searches of 30 locations on Feb. 10. Investigators also questioned Kao, Chang, and others before concluding the probe and issuing indictments Monday.
Chang has been held incommunicado for four months. Prosecutors said he admitted only to violations of the Company Act and Medical Devices Act while denying allegations related to assistant fee fraud and subsidy embezzlement. He is scheduled to be transferred to court, where a judge will decide whether his detention should continue, per UDN.
Prosecutors allege Kao knowingly registered Chang as a publicly funded legislative assistant beginning Jan. 1, 2013, despite being aware that health issues and family obligations prevented him from performing the duties of the position. They said the arrangement resulted in the fraudulent receipt of NT$538,155 in public funds.
The indictment also alleges that Chang manipulated corporate registration procedures in 2013 by using funds transferred through associates and family members to establish Elevenz Music before withdrawing much of the capital after the company was registered, per UDN.
From 2015 to 2018, prosecutors allege Chang used the Taiwan Multicultural Counseling Association to organize Indigenous archery competitions and folk music events while fraudulently obtaining subsidies from government agencies and state-owned enterprises. The alleged scheme generated NT$9.33 million in subsidies, prosecutors said.
Authorities further allege that Chang withdrew more than NT$4.36 million in cash from the proceeds in an effort to conceal the source of the funds, resulting in money laundering charges.
The indictment also includes allegations related to the importation of COVID rapid test kits during the pandemic. Prosecutors said Kao authorized Chang to collect names for the import of free rapid test kits from China’s Xiamen Biotime Biotechnology Co. Between May and June 2022, Chang allegedly imported 74,400 test kits into Taiwan in violation of medical device regulations.
Prosecutors argued that Chang abused his position as a longtime aide in Kao’s legislative office to obtain public funds through false personnel records and inflated salary claims. They said his actions, combined with the alleged subsidy fraud scheme, significantly diverted public resources intended for social welfare and community programs.
