Former Penghu county councilor Chen Hui-ling (陳慧玲) and her husband were today found guilty of fraudulently claiming government-funded subsidies for their aides, but all four defendants in the case received only suspended sentences.
Chen was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for five years, and ordered to complete 240 hours of community service, the Penghu District Court said.
Her husband, Tsai Teng-tsai (蔡燈財), was sentenced to one year and 10 months in prison, suspended for four years, as well as 200 hours of community service, it said.
Photo: Liu Yu-ching, Taipei Times
The court did not explain its decision, but the defendants’ lawyer, Francis Kuei (桂祥晟), thanked it for taking into account their motives, their attitude after the crime was uncovered, and family and life circumstances in granting them a suspended sentence.
Prosecutors said in their indictment that Chen and Tsai falsely reported relatives as publicly funded legislative assistants during Chen's tenure as a Penghu County councilor from 2014 to 2022.
The couple used the names of relatives to apply for subsidies and holiday bonuses from the county council, then withdrew the funds to pay for personal expenses, including household spending, taxes, travel and credit card payments, prosecutors said.
The couple was found to have fraudulently obtained more than NT$6.45 million (US$205,224) over eight years, the court said.
The illicit gains were ordered confiscated.
Two relatives involved in the case were also convicted and sentenced to one year and six months and one year and two months in prison, respectively, with suspended sentences of three years and two years.
The case was investigated by the Penghu District Prosecutors’ Office last year. Prosecutors charged the defendants under the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) and with related forgery offenses.
Chen and Tsai were previously detained and held incommunicado before later being released on bail pending trial.
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