Taiwanese Private Investigator Manager Sentenced for Illegal GPS Tracking and Data Sales

A manager at Taiwan's Guohua Investigation Agency has been sentenced for his role in illegal surveillance and the illicit sale of personal data. The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office initiated the investigation following a case involving the clandestine installation of GPS tracking devices, which subsequently revealed a pattern of similar activities within Guohua and its affiliated company, Yitong Investigation.

Zhao Yan-hao, the manager in question, was found to have accepted a commission of NT$140,000 to install GPS trackers on a client's husband's motorcycles for 14 days. He instructed an employee to place the devices in the husband's vehicles, enabling precise tracking of his movements. This surveillance was reportedly conducted by personnel following the target's vehicle, documenting his whereabouts with video and mobile devices. The target became suspicious after noticing repeated tailing by unfamiliar vehicles and subsequently discovered the GPS devices, leading to a police report.

Further investigations uncovered Zhao's involvement in selling personal data. He allegedly communicated via WeChat with an individual known as 'Tutu Tu' and sold private information, including names, marital status, and company addresses linked to specific phone numbers, for NT$35,000. The payment, received in Chinese Yuan via Alipay, suggests the data may have been sold to individuals or entities in mainland China.

In light of these findings, Zhao Yan-hao was convicted on two counts of violating the Personal Data Protection Act. The court sentenced him to four months and six months imprisonment, respectively, for the GPS installation and data sales offenses. These sentences are convertible to fines. The judge criticized Zhao's actions for infringing on victims' privacy but considered his admission of guilt and a settlement reached with one of the victims when determining the sentence.

The investigation has since broadened, with prosecutors suspecting that high-level management within Guohua and Yitong Investigation may have been aware of or involved in such activities, including the collection of personal data on specific political and economic figures. In July, authorities conducted searches, leading to Jaw Wei-chun, the founder of both agencies, being granted bail of NT$3 million. Several other employees were also granted bail, while four field and sales representatives were ordered detained. The case remains under active investigation.