Controversial dog activist Ko Szu-hai
Taipei Chief Prosecutor Hsueh Wei-ping
The indictment says that Ko took out mortgages to purchase 26 near-bankrupt companies between 1996 and 1997 before forging and selling shares in the companies, none of which were listed on the stock-market.
It says that he fraudulently told investors that the companies were manufacturing computers and biotechnology related products.
The indictment also states that Ko, having made no payments on the 26 mortgages, is guilty of breach of trust.
Finally, it states that some of the companies are effectively non-existent.
"Our investigation showed that some of Ko's companies are fakes because although they are registered [with the Ministry of Finance] they never actually operated." Hsueh said in his indictment.
Ko was arrested by special agents from the Taipei Office of the Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Investigation at his Hsichih apartment home on Aug. 7 this year, after he failed twice to respond to summonses from Hsueh.
Ko has been detained at the Taipei Detention House since Aug. 8, but had not been charged until yesterday.
The indictment of a suspect on the same day as he is charged is rare, but signals prosecutors' desire to expedite proceedings.
Ko has become infamous for his publicity stunts, including appearing behind interviewees on daily TV news coverage, taking stray dogs with him to protest at government offices and bombarding the phone lines of businesses with computerized phone calls.
According to the Taipei Detention House, Ko mailed complaint letters to government offices even after he had been detained, which is an activity he claims to undertake on behalf of his "petitioners," -- members of the public who write to him seeking his assistance with problems or issues of concern.
In an interview with the Taipei Times in April, Ko said that he is passionate about protesting because he believes the justice system is unfair and he wants to fight against it for his petitioners and himself.
During the interview, he also said that he planned to stand as a candidate in this year's Taipei City Council election because he could help more people if he were a city councilor. However, because of his incarceration, he failed to register as a candidate.
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