KEELUNG (TVBS News) — Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) Keelung City councilor Chang Hao-han (張顥瀚) was detained on Wednesday (Oct. 23) for allegedly embezzling more than NT$700,000 in assistant fees. The court approved his detention and barred visits after the judge held a detention hearing.
The Keelung District Prosecutors Office launched a search on Tuesday, summoning Chang and others for questioning. Prosecutors charged Chang with violating the "Anti-Corruption Act" (貪汙治罪條例) by exploiting his position to commit fraud and falsifying official documents, citing significant suspicion of his crimes. They expressed concerns about potential witness tampering and evidence destruction.
Chang allegedly misreported salaries since January 2019, claiming higher wages than paid or continuing to report two assistants after one resigned. Based on current evidence, prosecutors estimate he fraudulently claimed at least NT$700,000 from the Keelung City Council. The minimum sentence for his alleged crime is five years.
The DPP's Keelung branch issued a statement regarding the ongoing investigation. Given the unclear nature of the current information, party officials hope for a swift clarification of the facts.