Former Environmental Management Agency Director Indicted for Misusing Special Funds and Official Vehicles

Yan Hsu-ming, the former director of the Environmental Management Agency under the Ministry of Environment, has been indicted by the Taichung District Prosecutors Office for corruption and breach of trust. He is accused of using special funds allocated for the head of the agency to host family dinners and repeatedly using official vehicles for personal visits to family members, gaining a total of over 10,000 TWD in illicit benefits. According to the indictment from the Taichung District Prosecutors Office, Yan served as the director from August 22, 2023, to May 14, 2026. During this period, between October and December 2024, he used special funds to cover family dinners in New Taipei City and Kinmen County, totaling 10,883 TWD. Additionally, Yan drove the agency's official electric vehicle to visit family in Huwei Township, Yunlin County, 14 times, charging 1,313 TWD in eTag fees and 1,625 TWD in electricity costs to the agency, resulting in a total illicit gain of 2,938 TWD. Under the direction of the prosecutors, the Taichung City Investigation Office of the Investigation Bureau searched Yan's office and residence, seizing relevant evidence. After the investigation, prosecutors concluded that Yan abused his position to defraud special funds and used official vehicles for personal purposes, setting a poor example for all civil servants. The use of special funds for family dinners, in particular, caused a negative social perception. On the 25th, the Taichung District Prosecutors Office indicted Yan for violating the Anti-Corruption Act and for breach of trust. Considering that the amount defrauded was not substantial and that the defendant confessed to the crimes, prosecutors have requested that the court impose an appropriate sentence and grant a suspended sentence to encourage rehabilitation.