The Control Yuan yesterday confiscated NT$55.8 million (US$1.69 million) from former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) over contraventions of campaign finance laws while he was the Taiwan People’s Party’s (TPP) presidential candidate.
The Anti-Corruption Committee also fined Ko NT$3.74 million in addition to the confiscation, citing its mandate under the Administrative Penalty Act (行政罰法), the Control Yuan said in a statement.
The administrative ruling was separate from the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office’s criminal charges against Ko.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
The committee in August last year launched an investigation into Ko’s handling of campaign finances following a separate corruption probe by prosecutors.
The committee obtained material that prosecutors had seized, which provided evidence that Ko concealed donations to his presidential campaign and gave large amounts to a public relations firm, it said.
The money paid to the company was too much to be service fees for Ko’s presidential campaign and the transactions were not reported, the Control Yuan said.
The committee administratively ruled that Ko “clearly contravened” articles 1 and 23 of the Political Donations Act (政治獻金法), it said.
Ko’s running mate, Cynthia Wu (吳欣盈), was exempt from the penalties, while the Disciplinary Court would make a decision on accountant Tuanmu Cheng’s (端木正) penalty, the committee said.
Complaints filed by five people, including Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-fong (林延鳳), triggered the investigation into Ko’s finances, it said.
Caucus office director Vicky Chen (陳智菡) said that the party would appeal the administrative ruling.
The timing of the Control Yuan’s announcement — a day before Ko’s first court appearance today — showed that the government branch and prosecutors are orchestrating a politically motivated attack on him, the TPP said.
The profits were derived from campaign-themed merchandise and concerts, and were not political contributions, it said.
The Control Yuan should apply the same stringent standards to similar operations by the campaigns of President William Lai (賴清德) and former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), it added.
Additional reporting by Lee Wen-hsin
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