Taichung: The Taichung District Court has sentenced a woman to 11 years in prison for defrauding a family of over NT$15 million (US$485,000) and engaging in intimidation that led to the suicide of five family members. The woman, identified by her surname Lee, was convicted on multiple charges, including fraud for financial gain, extortion through intimidation, and violations of the Banking Act.
According to Focus Taiwan, the court found that Lee had promised the family a guaranteed 10 percent monthly return, which led to the illegal collection of over NT$15 million. When the family began to question the irregularities and chose not to continue investing, Lee fabricated penalty fees and sent threatening messages, causing severe psychological distress to the victims.
The court reported that Lee's actions resulted in the family of five taking their own lives due to the unbearable intimidation and financial pressure. Lee admitted to all charges during the trial, as confirmed by a court statement.
The case came to light after the discovery of the deceased Wang family members at their Taichung home last July. The victims included a 62-year-old man, his 63-year-old wife, two daughters in their 30s, and a 28-year-old son, as per police reports.
Prosecutors revealed that Lee had defrauded the family through schemes involving investments in a group-buying company and gold purchases. The fraudulent activities began after an introduction by a woman surnamed Chang in 2024. Following the family's refusal to invest further, Lee coerced them into taking a NT$2 million loan from a designated pawnshop, misappropriating NT$1.76 million.
Prosecutors initially sought a 15-year prison sentence for Lee. The Wang family's second son-in-law, speaking through Taichung City Councilor Hsieh Chih-chung, expressed disappointment with the verdict, stating it fell short of societal expectations. Hsieh, who was instrumental in bringing the case to public attention, highlighted the involvement of a criminal network, including Lee, Chang, and other accomplices.
Lin Chyong-jia, the lawyer for the Wang family, criticized Lee's actions as driven by greed, leading to the tragic deaths. Lin emphasized that the family would request prosecutors to appeal the sentence.