Lawyer Chen Yu-Hsuan Accused of Defrauding Tzu Chi of 1 Billion TWD; Hsu Chiao-hsin Reveals Past Ties to Lin Chia-lung and Chen Po-wei

The Tzu Chi Foundation's 2021 BNT vaccine procurement fraud case continues to escalate, with the Taichung District Prosecutors Office indicting lawyer Chen Yu-Hsuan and 16 others. Chen and a co-conspirator surnamed Li allegedly deceived Tzu Chi into believing they had access to BNT vaccine supplies, leading the foundation to pay USD 30 million (approximately NT$1.06 billion) in commission. The case has reignited political debate over the government and civil society's roles in vaccine procurement during the pandemic. KMT legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin posted on Facebook today, criticizing the DPP for deflecting blame onto opposition figures. She revealed that Chen Yu-Hsuan was appointed as a legal aid lawyer by then-Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung in 2016, and in 2020, sought campaign support and legal advice from then-legislator Chen Po-wei during a trade association election. Hsu used these connections to counter recent DPP claims that critics of the government's pandemic response should apologize. The political tension stems from comments by Executive Yuan official Chen Shih-chung, who stated that 'the truth has now come to light' and that those who made false accusations against the government should apologize. However, Chen emphasized that Tzu Chi was the victim and that the real culprits—the fraudsters—should be condemned. Hsu retorted that the government's failure to procure vaccines efficiently and its alleged obstruction of private procurement efforts were the true causes of Tzu Chi's losses, arguing that Chen Shih-chung, not the critics, should apologize to the public. Additional exclusive reports from Wind Media include behind-the-scenes political dynamics involving the KMT, the Taiwan Oil Scandal, and controversies surrounding the Yilan high-speed rail project, highlighting broader governance issues within the ruling party.