The Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday indicted a man on charges, among others, of using a fake philanthropic foundation as a scheme to swindle donors.
Wu Yu-hsiang (巫裕祥), 36, of Nantou County, is a self-professed scion of the rich and founder of Taiwan Action Charity Alliance, an organization he claimed he created in November 2013 dedicated to giving proper burials to unidentified bodies, those who died without living relatives, or were too poor to pay for funeral expenses, the indictment said.
In truth, Wu is a con artist who targeted rich people with a phony charity and used his gains to pay for an extravagant lifestyle, with which he insinuated himself into their social circles, the office said.
Prosecutors said they believe that Wu forged the seal of Tzute Temple in Nantou County’s Jiji Township (集集) to print counterfeit receipts for the donations he received, which he pocketed entirely, causing harm to the temple’s reputation.
Beginning in March last year, Wu placed collection boxes in a score of convenience stores to receive donations from the public in addition to his activity involving wealthy people, the indictment said.
The prosecutors allege that Wu imported from Hong Kong counterfeit watches, belts and bracelets made in China for commercial profit.
Wu drove a used Mercedes-Benz convertible and frequented gatherings of automobile enthusiasts and car exhibitions to find people to target with his schemes, people who laid complaints against him said.
Wu often had dalliances with young women, especially models at auto shows, by charming them with his supposed fortune, the people said.
Wu’s Facebook profile showed photographs of himself and young women, who he claimed his work had helped, while posts spoke about appreciating one’s possessions and the importance of charity.
Wu is in custody and awaiting trial, prosecutors said.
The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said it has launched a probe into a restaurant at Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store after a customer died of suspected food poisoning. A preliminary investigation on Sunday found missing employee health status reports and unsanitary kitchen utensils at Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in the department store’s basement food court, the department said. No direct relationship between the food poisoning death and the restaurant was established, as no food from the day of the incident was available for testing and no other customers had reported health complaints, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Later
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