6 detained over underage sexual videos on content creator site Fans 17

Taipei/Kaohsiung, Dec. 17 (CNA) The director of a company that runs the popular Facebook group "Baoliao Commune" (爆料公社) and five others have been detained for alleged involvement in the distribution of sexual content involving minors on video hosting website Fans 17.

The six suspects, including director Yeh Chang-tsun (葉昌圳) and an administrator surnamed Su (蘇) of Baoliao Commune Co., as well as Fans 17 board chairperson Tsai Meng-han (蔡孟翰) and supervisor Tsai Hsin-hung (蔡信宏), are being held for alleged violations of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act and other crimes.

An online influencer surnamed Chen (陳) and a retired police officer surnamed Lu (路) were released on respective bails of NT$200,000 and NT$100,000 for suspected involvement in the website that allegedly hosted and sold access to explicit videos featuring adults and minors.

Chen issued a public statement under his stage name "Little Brother Ai Li" (小哥哥艾理) on his Instagram account on Monday, confirming that he had been released on bail by prosecutors and denying any wrongdoing in the case.

Fans 17's online domain has been seized, according to a notice from the Kaohsiung City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Corps.

The case is being investigated by the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office in Kaohsiung City under the direction of Chief Prosecutor Chen Chu-chun (陳竹君).

Prosecutors in the southern Taiwanese city began their investigation after receiving a tip-off regarding suspected wrongdoing at Fans 17, a website that enabled paying members to watch and download videos made by content creators.

The authorities conducted raids at multiple sites on Nov. 11, seizing evidence and NT$65 million, according to the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office.

After questioning suspects and other witnesses, prosecutors sought and received authorization from a court to detain the six individuals.

In a statement released by Baoliao Commune on Monday, the Taiwanese company said that Fans 17 is unrelated to the online community, which is centered around a mobile app and a Facebook page followed by 3.4 million users.

In regard to the arrest of their company's owner, Baoliao Commune's statement said Yeh was involved in the case due to his "individual behavior" that had "no direct or indirect relationship to the company's operations or business direction."