An international escort operation headed by Tai Chun-yi (戴君儀), in 2005 attempted to forcibly recruit Taiwanese model and actress Lin Chi-ling (林志玲) in the US, but Lin came out of the episode with her clean image intact, local media reported yesterday.
Via a US entertainment agency, Tai allegedly invited Lin to appear as a special guest at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, but when Lin arrived, she was told that the event was a dinner hosted by wealthy overseas Chinese businessmen, the Taipei-based Chinese-language Want Weekly report said.
Tai offered Lin US$30,000 to appear at the dinner and promised more money if she agreed to provide “other services” to her wealthy clients, the report said.
Photo: Hu Shuan-hsiang, Taipei Times
At dinner appointments arranged by Tai, it is alleged that invited female companions, mostly Taiwanese models and starlets, were escorts who could be taken upstairs by the businessmen after the dinner.
Lin refused, which put her in real danger, as members of a Chinese-American triad known as the “Wah Ching” threatened Lin with violence if she did not comply, the report said.
Lin sought help from two female friends: Her business manager, Chiu Li-kuang and Chen Lan (陳嵐), who were in Las Vegas at the time, the report said.
Chiu and Chen allegedly used their connections in the entertainment circles of Taiwan, China, and the US to pressure Tai to allow Lin to leave, the report said.
Finally, Chiu contacted a member of Taiwan’s Bamboo Union Gang known as “Brother Shun,” who led a posse of about 20 men, all carrying handguns, to negotiate with the escort ring operators and the Wah Ching, and Lin was let go, the report said.
Tai was charged last month with procuring females for the sex trade and human trafficking.
Lin had repeatedly denied she had any involvement with Tai, after Lin’s name was associated with the escort ring in media reports.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS