TAIPEI (TVBS News) — After a month-long investigation, Tainan police have apprehended six individuals connected to a gambling ring operating within a Facebook group. The group had been accepting bets on the 2024 General Election, amassing over NT＄6.55 million in wagers.
The case was forwarded on Thursday (Dec. 14) to the Tainan District Prosecutors Office for examination, involving several statutes of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, the Money Laundering Control Act, and the Anti-Infiltration Act.
The ring utilized Facebook to attract participants, encouraging them to place bets on various aspects of the upcoming elections. Bets ranged from potential political party collaborations to candidates such as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Lai Ching-te, Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je, Kuomintang (KMT) presidential hopeful Hou Yu-ih, and former candidate Terry Gou, who withdrew from the race in November.
The investigation was initiated after the Tainan City Police Department Criminal Investigation Corps identified the illicit activity online. Suspects were located in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Yunlin, Chiayi, and other areas, leading to the capture of individuals, including the alleged ringleader, surnamed Li.
Authorities discovered that the gambling funds were being converted into Tether (USDT), a prominent cryptocurrency stablecoin, by unidentified foreign individuals. These funds were then transferred to other gambling entities, potentially violating the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act due to the unauthorized use of foreign capital in election-related gambling.