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Taiwan’s former presidential candidate, Ko Wen-je, has been charged with bribery and embezzlement of political donations. The charges stem from an investigation into alleged corruption during his tenure as mayor of Taipei, as well as irregularities in his 2024 presidential campaign.
Ko, who served as mayor of Taipei from 2014 to 2022, is accused of accepting T$17.1 million ($522,392) in bribes and embezzling gifts worth more than T$68 million ($2.08 million). The Taipei District Prosecutors Office is seeking a prison sentence of 28 and a half years for the former mayor.
In addition to Ko, several members of his Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have been charged with misusing political donations. Although Ko initially denied involvement in a real estate corruption case, he later admitted to misreporting campaign funds during his 2024 presidential run.
Despite the charges, the court ruled to release Ko from custody, as prosecutors failed to meet the standard required for his detention, citing insufficient evidence of a “high possibility” of guilt.
