Taiwan's Ko Wen-je Indicted on Corruption and Embezzlement Charges

The former Taipei mayor and presidential candidate faces up to 28.5 years in prison over bribery allegations and misuse of political donations.

Ko Wen-je, founder of the Taiwan People's Party and former Taipei mayor, has been charged with accepting $522,392 in bribes and embezzling over $2 million in political donations.
Prosecutors allege Ko enabled a real estate developer to bypass city regulations in exchange for bribes during his mayoral tenure from 2014 to 2022.
Ko and several members of his party were also charged with misreporting campaign finances and misusing political donations during his 2024 presidential bid.
The charges have raised questions about the future of the Taiwan People's Party, which Ko founded as a third political force in Taiwan's two-party-dominated system.
Ko, who denies the allegations, had been a prominent figure in Taiwanese politics and was expected to run for president again in 2028.