Taipei: Cheng Yi-lin, a former deputy CEO of the state-run Green Energy Industry Promotion Center (GEIPC), has been indicted on corruption and money laundering charges, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office announced. Cheng stands accused of accepting NT$1.98 million (US$62,957) in bribes from Tungwei Construction in 2022, under the guise of charging “consultancy fees,” during his tenure as deputy CEO of the GEIPC, which operates under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).
According to Focus Taiwan, investigators discovered an unexplained sum of NT$6.01 million in Cheng’s bank account between 2022 and 2024, which he was unable to satisfactorily explain. Cheng, in his previous role, was tasked with promoting Taiwan’s renewable energy policy. However, he allegedly accepted bribes and exerted pressure on Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) to grant favors to Tungwei Construction, compromising Taipower’s unbiased allocation of electricity and affecting its operations.
Prosecutors are seeking a 14-year prison sentence for Cheng, citing the Anti-Corruption and Money Laundering Control Acts. They allege that Tungwei Construction founder Chen Chien-sheng and his son Chen Kuan-tao paid Cheng bribes in installments, urging him to pressure then-Taipower Vice President Hsiao Sheng-jen to approve electricity supply to a Tungwei development project in Taipei’s Neihu District. Cheng allegedly misrepresented the project’s significance, potentially impacting electricity supply for other projects in the area.
When Cheng’s actions risked exposure, his mother and brother were allegedly involved in covering his tracks, with his mother, Lee Chia-chen, reportedly withdrawing NT$1.98 million from 23 different ATMs. Cheng, along with his parents and brother, has been indicted, with prosecutors seeking a two-year prison term for his family members. Charges have also been brought against the founder of Tungwei and his son, though no prison sentences have been requested yet. Taipower Vice President Hsiao was not indicted due to insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
