Ex-Taiwan Army Captain Accused of Embezzlement and Fraud, Faces Heavier Sentence

LI Zhen-yu, a former captain in the Sixth Army Group of Taiwan's military, is charged with defrauding over NT$10 million by impersonating a land rental agent, leading to his indictment and potential severe punishment.

According to recent reports, LI Zhen-yu, a former captain in the Sixth Army Group of the Republic of China Army, is facing charges related to corruption and fraud in Taiwan. During his tenure as a captain and engineering officer between 2018 and 2019, LI allegedly impersonated a land rental agent for military family land, using false contracts and payment records to deceive contractors.

The investigation, led by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office and the Investigation Bureau's Taoyuan City Division, revealed that LI defrauded contractors of approximately NT$4 million by convincing them to sign agreements based on fraudulent documents. He also obtained an additional NT$6 million. In total, the amount defrauded totaled over NT$10 million.

The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office's investigation began after the Sixth Army Group Command reported the unauthorized use of state-owned military family land by private contractors. The investigation found that LI, at the time serving as an engineering officer in the Sixth Army Group’s military family service division, forged documents, including the use of official seals to create false land lease agreements and payment certifications. These fraudulent documents were then mixed with genuine official documents and submitted to the Sixth Army Group’s document room for stamping. As a result, contractors were led to believe they had legitimately leased the state-owned land and subsequently made rental payments.

Furthermore, LI is also accused of using his position to fabricate small-scale engineering projects for military family land, requesting contractors to pay performance bonds. The funds were diverted to his personal accounts. From October 2017 to February 2020, LI allegedly used these tactics to fraudulently lease 14 plots of land and fabricate 16 small-scale engineering projects, totaling NT$10,038,801 in fraudulent gains.

During the investigation, LI Zhen-yu fled overseas. A warrant was issued on November 17, 2020. After a cooperative effort between the Investigation Bureau and Philippine law enforcement agencies, LI was apprehended and returned to Taiwan on March 25 of this year. Following questioning, the prosecutors filed a request for detention, which was granted by the court. Today, the prosecution has indicted LI and submitted the case to the court, requesting his continued detention to prevent his escape and seeking a heavier sentence.