Government proposes harsher punishments for fraud

Taipei, May 9 (CNA) The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved an anti-fraud package that seeks to impose heavier punishments for those convicted of fraud.

Under the proposed legislation and amendments, individuals convicted of fraudulent acts where the gains exceed NT$10 million (US$308,252) will face a sentence of three to 10 years, Kuo Yung-fa (郭永發), a senior official at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), told a Cabinet press briefing.

Fraud committed by a group of three or more individuals under the guise of a government agency or official, or via broadcasting channels or the internet, will receive the current punishment of one to seven years of imprisonment and a possible additional fine of NT$1 million increased by 50 percent, Kuo said.

Kuo, who heads the MOJ's Department of Prosecutorial Affairs, added recidivists with more than three fraud convictions would be denied parole in the future.

The proposal, which requires legislative approval, includes provisions for reducing or exempting punishment for fraud perpetrators who surrender themselves and assist law enforcement in apprehending the main culprit and seizing all illegal gains, according to Kuo.

The proposal also seeks to codify the use of certain crime investigation tools by law enforcement, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) for tracking suspects and thermal imaging cameras, as long as there is prior authorization from a court.

The proposed package seeks to provide the government with more legal tools to better address the problem of financial, digital and telecoms fraud, Minister without Portfolio Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said at the briefing.

In addition to increasing punishment for those who commit fraud, the proposal also aims to hold digital services and financial companies accountable for fraudulent activities carried out on their platforms.