Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned.
The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients.
Photo: Lu Yun-feng, Taipei Times
As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents.
The main suspect, a man surnamed Chen (陳), allegedly helped produce false medical certificates, police said.
A special task force searched locations at 6am yesterday, detaining four entertainers, including Lee and Daniel Chen.
Two others, comedian Daikon (大根) and actor William Liao (廖亦崟), were also summoned.
Daikon was out of the country, but was expected to return last night, while Liao was on Green Island (綠島).
Liao posted a photograph on Facebook of himself reporting to a local police station, saying that he was “voluntarily cooperating.”
Department of Conscription Administration Director-General Shen Che-fang (沈哲芳) told lawmakers at the legislature in Taipei that similar investigations last year found that 120 people had allegedly evaded military service, 11 of whom were entertainers.
Follow-up investigations are ongoing, focusing on cases in the past five years that are more likely to involve irregularities, such as claims of high blood pressure, Shen said.
Any illegal conduct would be dealt with through the courts, but those older than 36 would not be called back for service, as they have passed the age limit, he said.
The agency has recommended that the Ministry of National Defense revise standards for physical classifications to establish stricter regulations, he added.
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