Government watchdog fines Ko Wen-je for election fund violations

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) The Control Yuan on Wednesday found former Taiwan People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) to be in violation of political donation laws during his 2024 presidential campaign, slapping him with a fine of NT$3.74 million (US$118,000).

The top government watchdog body also ordered the confiscation of NT$55.79 million in campaign funds, it said in a statement.

The statement was released after the Control Yuan's Committee on Anti-Corruption reviewed and approved an audit report on accounting records detailing income and spending related to political donations for Ko's presidential campaign between May 20, 2023 and Feb. 12, 2024.

The Control Yuan said that while Ko's running mate, Wu Hsin-ying (吳欣盈), was not penalized, the accounting company responsible for auditing the financial reports, Tuanmu Cheng (端木正), will be subject to disciplinary action.

The investigation was launched following a complaint filed by Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳), a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Part, and four others, prompting the watchdog to examine Ko's campaign finances.

Ko has been detained and held in incommunicado since early January following his indictment in December for bribery, embezzlement and breach of public trust offenses dating back to his second term as mayor of Taipei from 2018 to 2022 and around the 2024 presidential election.