Taiwanese legislator investigated for alleged company-funded staff, lobbying

The investigation into ruling party legislator Chen Hsueh-sheng has intensified, with prosecutors searching his legislative office and related parties. Chen is accused of using a company to cover his assistants' salaries and subsequently lobbying for that firm.

This case echoes similar allegations against other lawmakers, including Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an, and legislators Cheng Tien-tsai and Cheng Cheng-chien. These individuals are accused of similar practices: having companies pay their legislative assistants' salaries and then using their positions to mediate or lobby for those businesses.

In Kao Hung-an's case, while her office's assistants' salaries were reportedly paid by an external company linked to the Hon Hai Group, prosecutors did not classify this as bribery. Instead, the core of her indictment involved inflating public funds for assistants' salaries and overtime. For legislator Cheng Tien-tsai, prosecutors allege he received over NT$7 million from nine companies over several years, with some individuals officially listed as "legislative office special assistants." The prosecution views these payments as having a quid pro quo relationship with his legislative duties, leading to charges of bribery and money laundering.

Legislator Cheng Cheng-chien is also under investigation for a similar scheme, where companies allegedly covered his office's assistants' salaries while he handled their bidding and related matters. Prosecutors have opened a special case to investigate these claims against Cheng.