A Taiwanese diplomat who had been stationed at the nation’s representative office in the US was indicted yesterday for allegedly having an extramarital affair for two years, but he denied any wrongdoing on his part.
According to the indictment by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, there was sufficient evidence that the 45-year-old diplomat, surnamed Yang (楊), a married man with two children, had an affair with a former lover from university, surnamed Pao (鮑), from 2013 to 2015.
Prosecutors launched an investigation following two lawsuits being filed by Yang’s and Pao’s spouses. Pao’s husband had accused Yang of initiating the adulterous affair and of committing an “offense against marriage and the family,” while Yang’s wife had accused Pao of the same offense.
Yang has been stationed at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECRO) in the US since July 2015, during which time he was promoted to section chief. He previously worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of North American Affairs, after being stationed in Los Angeles from 2006 to 2012.
The illicit affair came to light last year, after a friend of Pao provided details of the affair to the press and wrote petitions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Control Yuan, in an effort to publicize Yang’s sexual improprieties.
Her friend alleged that Yang had promised Pao that he would get a divorce, although he never did, adding that he lied to Pao, telling her that he had been laid off from his job and had to work as an Uber driver in the US.
Pao and her friend were outraged when Yang denied the extramarital relationship, and told investigators that Pao had mental problems and had made everything up.
Pao has admitted to having had the affair, offering records of their phone conversations and travel records to investigators as proof. She also provided evidence showing that they met at hotels in the greater Taipei area for sex about 50 times in a one-year period.
The investigation confirmed the veracity of the evidence provided by Pao, as she had written down the names of the hotels and even the room numbers on her personal calendar.
Prosecutors said this information matched Yang’s travel records and other information.
The foreign ministry yesterday reportedly transferred Yang out of the TECRO, but did not specify if he was demoted or give the location of his new position.
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