Payment Platform Linked to Shell Companies for Money Laundering; 5 Arrested and Detained

(Central News Agency, reporter Zhang Yilian, Kaohsiung, June 29) The main suspect of a cross-border money laundering group, surnamed Guo, allegedly used a payment platform combined with shell companies for fraudulent transactions, acting as a collection and payment agent for illegal funds for fraud and gambling groups, and laundering money. The police estimate the group's money laundering amount to be over NT$400 million. Guo and four others were arrested and detained after interrogation.

The Qiaotou District Prosecutor's Office issued a press release today explaining that the task force discovered that the money laundering group allegedly used multiple payment platforms and combined financial accounts under several shell companies for fraudulent transactions. They acted as a collection and payment agent for illegal funds for fraud and gambling groups, concealing the whereabouts of criminal proceeds and thereby laundering money.

The Kaohsiung City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Bureau, Technology Crime Investigation Division, stated that to avoid police investigation, the money laundering group members dispersed their operations through financial accounts of multiple shell companies. They also instructed the responsible persons of these shell companies on what to say when contacted by the police, to prevent a complete crackdown and the freezing of their financial accounts as suspicious accounts.

The Kaohsiung Criminal Investigation Bureau stated that from February to June, the task force launched three search operations in 34 locations across Kaohsiung City, Yunlin County, Tainan City, and Pingtung County. They successively apprehended and arrested 15 individuals, including money mules and providers of shell company bank accounts. They also seized 61 mobile phones, 10 SIM cards, 2 computer main units, 74 bank passbooks, 57 bank cards, over NT$360,000 in cash, and company seals as evidence.

Prosecutors investigated and preliminarily calculated the group's money laundering amount to be over NT$447.61 million. Guo and four other group leaders are suspected of serious offenses under the Money Laundering Control Act, the Organized Crime Prevention Act, and fraud. Due to the risk of flight, collusion with accomplices, and destruction of evidence, they were detained and prohibited from contacting others after interrogation.

Qiaotou District Prosecutor Guo Jingdong reminded the public to be vigilant and not to provide personal accounts or establish shell companies for others to use, to avoid becoming accomplices in money laundering for criminal groups. The police and prosecutors will continue to pursue all types of fraud and money laundering crimes, seize criminal proceeds, and maintain social order and public safety. (Editor: Zhang Mingkun) 1150629

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