Kuo Yu-ling (
Still, Kuo refused to name the person who instructed her to set up elaborate surveillance operations of Chu.
Police have uncovered phone taps and hidden cameras in Chu's home, car and former office at Hsinchu's Bureau of Cultural Affairs. Chu's mobile phone was also tapped.
Meanwhile, Chinese-language media reported yesterday that former Hsinchu mayor Tsai Jen-chien (
Reports quoted unnamed sources as saying Tsai gave Chu roughly NT$10 million in cash. He also bought her a Hsinchu home worth NT$8 million.
Tsai had tried to take back the gifts after the couple broke up, but Chu refused, the report said.
Prosecutors have refused to comment on the reports. They are expected to summon Tsai for questioning today.
As early as May, Tsai had asked Kuo to hire detectives to follow Chu, the report said.
The surveillance began to expand after Tsai discovered that Chu had been meeting with other men, the report said.
A detective agency in Hsinchu has confirmed that Tsai introduced them to Kuo. Kuo asked the agency to install surveillance and eavesdropping devices in Chu's house, office and car.
But the report said it was unlikely Tsai sold the sex-video footage to illegal video vendors.
The surveillance plan likely spun out of control after Kuo sold the video to vendors, the report said.
The VCDs started appearing on roadside stands as early as October.
Prosecutors have confirmed that the copy of a 40-minute sex video obtained and distributed by Scoop Weekly earlier this month was not the original master copy.
Prosecutors are also said to be looking into reports that Kuo may posses secret bank accounts where she keeps more than NT$5 million gained from the sale of the sex video footage.
Several VCD companies have confirmed that Kuo contacted them and tried to sell them the footage at prices as high as NT$3 million. Kuo may also have gained "royalty" payments from vendors, the report said.
CHAOS: Iranians took to the streets playing celebratory music after reports of Khamenei’s death on Saturday, while mourners also gathered in Tehran yesterday Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the US, throwing the future of the Islamic republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old’s death early yesterday. US President Donald Trump said it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. The announcements came after a joint US and Israeli aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites. Trump said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue through the week or as long
TRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrence US President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The weapons sales package has stalled in the US Department of State, the report said, citing US officials it did not identify. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. The two last month held a phone call to discuss trade and geopolitical flashpoints ahead of the summit. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to
State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) yesterday said that it had confirmed on Saturday night with its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil suppliers that shipments are proceeding as scheduled and that domestic supplies remain unaffected. The CPC yesterday announced the gasoline and diesel prices will rise by NT$0.2 and NT$0.4 per liter, respectively, starting Monday, citing Middle East tensions and blizzards in the eastern United States. CPC also iterated it has been reducing the proportion of crude oil imports from the Middle East and diversifying its supply sources in the past few years in response to geopolitical risks, expanding
Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) fraud conviction and prison sentence were yesterday overturned by a Hong Kong court, in a surprise legal decision that comes soon after Lai was jailed for 20 years on a separate national security charge. Judges Jeremy Poon (潘兆初), Anthea Pang (彭寶琴) and Derek Pang (彭偉昌) said in the judgement that they allowed the appeal from Lai, and another defendant in the case, to proceed, as a lower court judge had “erred.” “The Court of Appeal gave them leave to appeal against their conviction, allowed their appeals, quashed the convictions and set aside the sentences,” the judges
RSS