Taichung village chief indicted for threatening vendors, defrauding subsidies

A three-term village chief in Taichung, Taiwan, known as "the village chief version of Jacky Cheung" for his singing talent, faces charges of extortion and fraud. Gao Min-yu, who represents the Qiucuo Village in North District, is accused of exploiting his position for personal gain.

Prosecutors allege that since 2014, Gao hired individuals as nominal neighborhood chiefs, despite them not performing any duties. He then submitted false reports to the district office to claim monthly subsidies, pocketing over NT$220,000 (approximately $6,800 USD) from these fraudulent claims.

Furthermore, Gao is accused of threatening local vendors, demanding cash or gifts. When vendors refused, he allegedly retaliated by repeatedly calling the police to issue citations and pressure them into compliance. In one instance, vendors who refused his demands faced frequent police intervention at their businesses.

In another alleged scheme, Gao secured the use of a community center for free by claiming it was for public singing lessons. He then sublet the venue to a private tutor for a fee, pocketing NT$15,000 (approximately $460 USD) while falsely telling the tutor the money would be donated to charity. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office has indicted Gao on charges including fraud, forgery, and attempted extortion.