The Ciaotou District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday sought 20-year prison sentences for two people accused of running a Kaohsiung-based scam group that defrauded 72 people out of NT$68.6 million (US$2.2 million) of cryptocurrency.
The suspects were indicted for contraventions under the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act (詐欺犯罪危害防制條例), the Criminal Code and the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法).
The office’s fraud prevention center launched an investigation into the case after it was alerted that people were buying the cryptocurrency tether at higher rates than the prevailing exchange rate.
Photo: Reuters
Center head prosecutor Su Heng-yi (蘇恒毅) and prosecutor Kuo Chun (郭郡) found that the tether was transferred into an anonymous wallet designated by the scam group, before it was moved against to another location.
After tracing the cryptocurrency, the center discovered that the group allegedly used nine accounts on the Line messaging app to pose as legitimate crypto dealers, the indictment said.
In March, judicial authorities detained 15 people, including the alleged leaders of the group, surnamed Yang (楊) and Liu (劉), alongside operators of the Line groups, money mules and money launderers.
The center requested that the Kaohsiung District Court detain Yang and Liu, as well confiscate a NT$38 million building under the group’s name in Kaohsiung’s Wusong District (烏松), NT$9.22 million in cash, a Porsche electric vehicle and jewelry.
Prosecutors said they asked for a heavier sentence for Yang and Liu as they showed no remorse for their alleged crimes.
Prosecutors asked for the remaining suspects be sentenced to six years or more in prison.
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