Taiwan Man Jailed for Lottery Receipt Theft: A Charitable Trust Betrayed

Volunteer's Deception Leads to Prison Time and Highlights the Importance of Charitable Giving.

Taipei, Taiwan - In a case that has shocked the nation, a man has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for stealing winning lottery receipts donated to a nonprofit foundation in Taiwan. The Keelung District Court handed down the sentence, bringing to light a two-year scheme that exploited the trust placed in a charitable organization.

The individual, identified as Chen (陳), was convicted of embezzlement under the Criminal Code. The court documents revealed the details of his crimes, which took place between July 2018 and July 2020.

Chen, who was a volunteer at the Keelung branch of the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation, was entrusted with sorting and verifying donated uniform invoice receipts for any potential winning lottery numbers. His actions, however, were a betrayal of this trust.

During his tenure, Chen stole over 4,000 winning receipts, fraudulently claiming approximately NT$1.01 million (US$30,685) in prize money. The court noted that Chen was fully aware that the foundation used the lottery winnings to fund various charitable initiatives, yet he proceeded with his deceitful acts.

The scheme was uncovered in 2020 when the National Taxation Bureau of the Northern Area noticed irregularities in Chen's claims. The foundation was subsequently alerted and reported the matter to local authorities.

The court's ruling underscored the severity of Chen's actions, noting that he had exploited the generosity of the public, who donated the uniform invoices for charitable purposes. The sentence reflects the gravity of his offense. The court did specify that the verdict is still open to appeal.