The Supreme Court yesterday upheld part of the Taiwan High Court’s sentences against some of the defendants in the Rebar Asia Pacific Group embezzlement scandal, meaning Eastern Media International Corp chairman Gary Wang (王令麟) and four of his brothers will have to serve time in prison.
Yesterday’s ruling was the final verdict in the case.
The Taiwan High Court ruled in November 2011 that Rebar founder Wang You-theng (王又曾), his sons and a brother had used a large number of schemes to embezzle funds from the group’s companies between 1998 and 2007.
The High Court sentenced Wang’s eldest son, Gary, to five years and eight months, a substantial reduction from his original 18 years sentence.
His brothers received prison terms of varying lengths: Wang Lin-tai (王令台) was sentenced to eight years; Wang Lin-i (王令一) to 12 years; Wang Lin-mei (王令楣) to eight years and a fine of NT$25 million (US$835,000); Wang Lin-chiao (王令僑) to five years and six months, and a fine of NT$10 million; Wang Lin-ke (王令可) to one year, with two years probation, and a fine of NT$2 million; and Lawrence Wang (王令興) to two years.
Wang You-theng’s brother, Frank Wang (王事展), received eight years and six months.
Lawrence Wang began serving his sentence in June last year.
According to yesterday’s Supreme Court decision, the sentences of Gary, Lin-tai, Lin-i, Lin-mei and Lin-chiao were upheld. While it upheld part of the High Court’s ruling, the remainder was returned to the High Court for retrial.
Wang You-theng and his wife, Wang Chin She-ying (王金世英), fled the country on Dec. 30, 2006, just days before prosecutors began an investigation into the Rebar Group. They are now in the US, and are still on the police’s most-wanted list.
Gary’s wife Tsai Hsueh-ching (蔡雪卿) also fled to the US.
Additional reporting by staff reporter
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