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.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
GET TO SAFETY: Authorities were scrambling to evacuate nearly 700 people in Hualien County to prepare for overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous typhoon Typhoon Podul yesterday intensified and accelerated as it neared Taiwan, with the impact expected to be felt overnight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration announced that schools and government offices in most areas of southern and eastern Taiwan would be closed today. The affected regions are Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, and Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu County. As of 10pm last night, the storm was about 370km east-southeast of Taitung County, moving west-northwest at 27kph, CWA data showed. With a radius of 120km, Podul is carrying maximum sustained
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
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