Lawyer Accused of Defrauding Tzu Chi of Over $30 Million in Vaccine Commissions

A prominent lawyer is facing accusations of defrauding the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation of over NT$1 billion in commission fees for facilitating the procurement of BNT vaccines during a period of severe shortage. Chen Yuxuan, who previously served as the director of the Changhua Bar Association and held positions in national legal associations, allegedly colluded with a man named Li Yiru to deceive Tzu Chi. They falsely claimed they could secure 5 million doses of BNT vaccines, thereby extorting approximately $30 million USD in commissions.

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Scamming is not acceptable, but did Tzu Chi feel defrauded? Did they sue? Was there collusion from the inside? Did they all launder money together?

Investigators revealed that Chen and her assistant allegedly siphoned the illicit funds into personal and corporate accounts, withdrawing them in stages. Furthermore, Chen is accused of using nine companies to issue 33 fake invoices, evading taxes amounting to NT$53.74 million, and purchasing 232 kilograms of gold. Ironically, Chen was reportedly teaching "legal ethics" at a university.

Lawyer Lee Yi-chen, a fellow alumna of Chen's high school, expressed disbelief at how easily Tzu Chi was allegedly defrauded. Lee questioned whether Tzu Chi felt defrauded, if they had filed a lawsuit, and raised suspicions of internal collusion or money laundering. She noted the lack of public criticism from other lawyers, attributing it to professional connections.

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National crisis money really cannot be randomly distributed or scammed.

Lee also shared that Chen's associate, Li Yiru, was unemployed, and his "spiritual mentor" father feared he would squander the money, leading to the purchase of gold. Lee emphasized that profiting from national crises is unacceptable and that lawyers must maintain integrity and an "original intention" free from "evil."

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To be a lawyer, you really need enthusiasm and an original intention not to be led astray by the devil.