Lai Chong-yu, a former sergeant of the Military Police 211 Battalion guarding the Taiwan Presidential Office, along with sergeant Li Yu-er and corporal Lin Yu-kai—three military police members—and Private First Class Chen Wen-hao from the Ministry of National Defense Information and Electronic Warfare Command, collectively took bribes totaling NT$1.84 million (approximately MYR 242,000), filmed confidential military documents and sold them to mainland Chinese intelligence personnel. On the 4th, the Supreme Court sentenced Lai to 7 years, Li to 6 years and 7 months, and Chen to 6 years and 5 months for corruption and violating the National Security Act, also stripping them of their civil rights for 6 years. The case is now closed.
According to the United Daily News on the 5th, Lin Yu-kai was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in the second trial. He had initially appealed to the Supreme Court, but withdrew the appeal during the trial, making his sentence effective and he has already begun serving his prison term.
Last year, the Ministry of National Defense received a report from fellow soldiers alleging that colleagues were using their mobile phones to secretly photograph classified documents to sell to the Chinese Communist Party. The Keelung Military Police team and National Security Bureau tracked financial flows and uncovered that Lai Chong-yu and the other three were involved in selling military secrets.
The prosecution found that Lai Chong-yu accepted NT$460,000 in bribes, Chen Wen-hao NT$450,000, Li Yu-er NT$660,000, and Lin Yu-kai NT$260,000. All four were detained and denied visits, and confessed they sold sensitive documents for monetary gain due to financial difficulties.
The first trial held that Lai Chong-yu and others endangered national security: Lai received 7 years, Li Yu-er 6 years and 8 months, Chen Wen-hao 6 years and 5 months, and Lin Yu-kai 5 years and 10 months.
On appeal, the second trial took into account Li Yu-er's admission of guilt, cooperation in revealing accomplices, and repayment of the full criminal proceeds, reducing his sentence by 1 month. The sentences for the others were unchanged. The four appealed, but with Lin withdrawing his appeal, the Supreme Court ruled that the second trial’s decisions for Lai Chong-yu and the other two were valid, and the sentences appropriate, thus denying their appeals. The case is now finalized.