A former mayor and presidential candidate in Taiwan has been indicted on charges of corruption, including the misuse of political donations and other fraudulent activities.
Ko Wen-je, the leader of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), contested Taiwan’s presidential elections in January as a third-party candidate, securing nearly a quarter of the votes. However, he has faced multiple scandals in recent months, particularly involving a property development scheme during his tenure as Taipei mayor from 2018 to 2022.
Ko has been charged with corruption in the property scandal, misappropriation of TPP donations, and misuse of funds from a charitable foundation. Prosecutors have recommended a total sentence of 28 years and 6 months. Ko has been in custody since September as investigations continue.
The property scandal revolves around a development project approved by Taipei’s municipality, which allegedly benefited developer Shein Ching-jeng. Prosecutors claim Shein paid Ko NT$15 million in bribes in 2022 and gave an additional NT$2.1 million from his company.
Furthermore, Ko is accused of misusing over NT$60 million from TPP donations and NT$8.27 million from a social welfare foundation during his presidential campaign. While Ko has repeatedly denied the property-related allegations, he has apologized to his supporters for the donation misuse controversy.
TPP’s senior official, Hsu Huan Guo-chang, has dismissed the indictment as politically motivated and lacking concrete evidence, insisting that Ko did not personally benefit from the party’s funds.
Ko stepped down from his party leadership role in September and has since resigned from his position as chairman. Despite this turmoil, the TPP has decided not to elect a new chairman.
In January’s elections, TPP won eight parliamentary seats, making it a key player in Taiwan’s legislative body.
