Former executive of green energy group indicted on corruption charges

Taipei, Dec. 26 (CNA) Cheng Yi-lin (鄭亦麟), a former deputy CEO of the state-run Green Energy Industry Promotion Center (GEIPC), has been indicted on corruption and money laundering charges, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office said Friday.

Cheng is accused of accepting NT$1.98 million (US$62,957) in bribes from Tungwei Construction in 2022, under the guise of charging "consultancy fees," while he was deputy CEO of the GEIPC, which is under the administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), according to prosecutors.

Investigators also found that an unexplained sum of NT$6.01 million had been added to Cheng's bank account between 2022 and 2024, and he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation of how he acquired those funds, prosecutors said.

In Cheng's former post as deputy CEO of the GEIPC, he was responsible for the important task of promoting Taiwan's renewable energy policy, but instead was accepting bribes and pressuring Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) to grant favors to Tungwei Construction, prosecutors alleged.

They said that Cheng sought to undermine Taipower's unbiased allocation of electricity, which seriously affected the state-run power company's operations.

Citing the Anti-Corruption and Money Laundering Control Acts, prosecutors said they are seeking a 14-year prison sentence for Cheng.

According to prosecutors, Tungwei Construction founder Chen Chien-sheng (陳健盛) and his son Chen Kuan-tao (陳冠滔) paid Cheng bribes in installments, asking him to pressure then-Taipower Vice President Hsiao Sheng-jen (蕭勝任) to approve electricity supply to Tungwei's development project in Taipei's Neihu District.

Cheng falsely told Hsiao that the Tungwei project was a critical part of Taipei's infrastructure, prosecutors said, adding that such a move would actually have squeezed the electricity supply for other projects in the area.

When it appeared that Cheng's underhand actions were coming to light, his mother and his brother were enlisted to help cover his tracks -- the former to help launder money, and the latter to sign a fake consulting contract with Tungwei Construction -- all at his father's urging, according to prosecutors.

The accused's mother Lee Chia-chen (李佳珍) allegedly withdrew a sum of NT$1.98 million from 23 different ATMs to help him, prosecutors said.

Cheng Yi-lin, his parents, and brother were all indicted in the case, with prosecutors seeking a two-year prison term for each of the others.

Charges were also brought against the founder of Tungwei and his son, but prosecutors have not yet put forth any requests for prison sentences.

Taipower Vice President Hsiao was not indicted, as there was insufficient evidence of any wrongdoing on his part, according to prosecutors.

Cheng Yi-lin has worked not only at GEIPC, but also at the MOEA's policy evaluation and integration office (2020-2023), and at the office of the vice premier (2022-2023.)