Taiwanese Lawmaker Investigated for Corruption, Allegedly Received 'Major General' Assistant

Taiwanese legislator Chen Szu-yuan is facing an investigation for allegedly defrauding public assistant fees and accepting improper benefits from a related company. Prosecutors released him on NT$2 million bail after questioning him on suspicion of violating the Anti-Corruption Act.

The investigation focuses on two main areas: Chen's alleged receipt of a "Major General-level special assistant" from Chin Hsin Shipping and its affiliated enterprises without compensation, and his suspected use of friends and relatives as nominal employees to fraudulently claim assistant fees since becoming a legislator in 2012.

Prosecutors are examining whether Chen Szu-yuan exerted pressure on CPC Corporation, Taiwan's state-owned oil company, to allow Chin Hsin Shipping to terminate a contract early, thereby reducing its losses. This alleged intervention occurred around November 2019, when Chin Hsin's oil tanker "Chin Hang No. 2" was undergoing repairs in Kinmen, causing a local fuel shortage. The company's de facto controller, Yang Su-yuan, a 30-year friend of Chen, allegedly provided the special assistant, Fan Pao-hua, to Chen for parliamentary affairs. Fan, a former Rear Admiral, reportedly served as Chen's assistant for at least a year, with her salary estimated at over NT$1 million.

Investigators are also looking into whether Chen's office assisted other affiliated companies of Yang Su-yuan, including Chin Hsia Shipping and Peace Maritime Agencies, with their petitions to government agencies. The goal is to ascertain if there was any quid pro quo arrangement between Chen and Yang's businesses. The investigation into the alleged fraudulent claims of assistant fees is also ongoing, focusing on the duration and amount of the suspected fraud.