TPP leader Ko Wen-je indicted on bribery, other corruption charges (update)

Taipei, Dec. 26 (CNA) Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was indicted Thursday on charges of bribery and other forms of corruption, in connection with real estate dealings during his second term as Taipei mayor 2018-2022.

He was also charged with embezzling political donations to the TPP during the 2024 presidential election.

Prosecutors are seeking a total sentence of 28.5 years for Ko, including 15 years for bribery, 5 years and 6 years for separate cases of embezzlement, and 2.5 years for breach of public trust, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office said.

Ten other suspects were also indicted in the two anti-corruption investigations, including former Taipei Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲); Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇); Lee Wen-tsung (李文宗), finance chief of Ko's 2024 election campaign office; and Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), founder and chairman of the real estate conglomerate Core Pacific Group.

In the first case, known as the Core Pacific City case, Ko is accused of accepting bribes of up to NT$17.1 million (US$0.52 million) to help the real-estate company Core Pacific Group illegally increase the floor area ratio (FAR) of one of its redevelopment projects in a bid to raise the financial value of the property.

In the second case, Ko and other alleged accomplices are suspected of embezzling political donations of over NT$68 million during the 2024 presidential election campaign and illegally using donations to a foundation, established by Ko in 2022, to pay the salaries of his campaign staff.

The evidence found by prosecutors included written instructions for suspected accomplices to leave the country, and notes asking whether the financial accounts of MuKo Public Relations company, which is closely associated with Ko, had been checked, according to the indictment.

It said the paper bearing those instructions and notes had been torn up, and the pieces were found on the premises of Ko's office.

"This proves that he is making excuses and attempting to cover up his actions," the indictment said, adding that Ko's attitude had been "poor" during the investigation.

The indictment by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office came nearly four months after Ko, chairman of Taiwan's third-largest political party, was first detained and held incommunicado during the investigation of the bribery and corruption allegations against him.

Charges were also brought against Huang Ching-mao (黃景茂), former head of Taipei's urban development department; Shao Hsiu-pei (邵琇珮), executive secretary at the city government's Urban Planning Commission; Tuanmu Cheng (端木正), former presidential campaign accountant for the TPP; Core Pacific supervisor Chang Chih-cheng (張志澄); Ying's assistant Wu Shun-min (吳順民); and Li Wen-chuan (李文娟), chairperson of MuKo Public Relations.

Prosecutors are requesting prison terms ranging from 1 year to 17 years and 4 months for seven of the accomplices while asking the court to mete out "appropriate" prison terms to the other three.

A former surgeon, Ko ran for president in January, winning 26 percent of the vote, as he attracted mostly younger voters who were frustrated with the policies of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and main opposition Kuomintang (KMT).

Since Ko's detention, the TPP, which he established in 2019, has not selected an acting chairman.

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Dec. 26: Work on property project may be halted after Ko Wen-je indicted for bribery

Dec: 26: Ko Wen-je's 10-year rise and fall in Taiwanese politics

Dec. 20: Court agrees to let gagged Ko send resignation letter to TPP

Q&A/What is Core Pacific Case, how is TPP Chairman Ko involved?

Timeline/Core Pacific City corruption case involving ex-Taipei mayor (up to Dec. 26)