Tzu Chi Foundation Scammed Out of 10 Billion NT$ for Vaccines: Did Chen Shih-chung Warn Early? Writer Criticizes: Don't Forget What Tsai Ing-wen Did

During the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic, the public scrambled to secure pandemic supplies, with vaccines being particularly difficult to obtain. The Tzu Chi Foundation purchased and donated 5 million doses of BNT vaccines at the time, but it has now been revealed that they were scammed out of 10 billion NT$, drawing public attention. On June 6, the Taichung District Prosecutors' Office concluded the investigation and indicted Chen Yu-hsuan, former president of the Changhua Bar Association, and others, seizing a large amount of assets. In response, writer Piao Lang Dao Yu posted on Facebook on June 7, showing a report of then-President Tsai Ing-wen personally thanking Master Zhengyan, criticizing that while the government thanked Tzu Chi for the vaccine procurement at the time, now that the scandal has emerged, some media and commentators are using it to damage Tzu Chi's goodwill, saying, "With elections approaching, this scam incident is likely to boost votes."

Did Chen Shih-chung warn early? What does Wang Bi-sheng say? After the incident came to light, Wang Bi-sheng, former deputy minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and then COVID-19 response commander, posted on Facebook on June 6, stating that over time, the wisdom of then commander Chen Shih-chung becomes apparent. Chen Shih-chung had repeatedly warned, "We are the most eager to procure vaccines, but we cannot be reckless. We must seize opportunities but also be extremely cautious, as we represent the nation. I tell you, those who cannot provide original factory proof are being scammed, and those who ask for advance deposits and fees are scammers." In response, Piao Lang Dao Yu pointed out that now that Tzu Chi is under suspicion of being scammed, some media and commentators are countering, "The government was also procuring vaccines at the time, and there were many problems with private procurement."

Piao Lang Dao Yu further stated that the context at the time was that the government's vaccine procurement was slow, and the COVID-19 death rate was rising. Private groups began looking for channels to procure vaccines to save lives, but the government advised, "Private individuals cannot procure them." As a result, Tzu Chi actually procured 5 million doses of original German BNT vaccines, and Tsai Ing-wen personally went to Hualien to thank Master Zhengyan. Now that the scam case has emerged, some are mocking private groups, saying, "They did not heed the advice and were scammed." However, if the government had acted faster, private groups would not have had to rush. If they could have procured vaccines in time, they might have been able to reduce the number of deaths to fewer than 20,000.

Why was Tzu Chi scammed out of 10 billion NT$? How did the lawyer set up the scam and gain trust? The prosecution pointed out that Chen Yu-hsuan and a man surnamed Li claimed to have special backgrounds, stating that Foxconn and TSMC procured vaccines through them, and that "TSMC had paid high legal fees," to gain Tzu Chi's trust and demand huge rewards. The suspects ultimately scammed approximately 30 million US dollars (about 10.6 billion NT$) from Tzu Chi. After tracking the flow of funds, the prosecution discovered that the involved funds were cut and converted in various ways. The Investigation Bureau's North Station has launched search and arrest operations since April, seizing 158 kilograms of gold, over 93 million NT$ in cash, two high-end cars, deposits, and mansions, with a total value of approximately 10.8 billion NT$, exceeding the amount scammed from Tzu Chi.

Who helped procure vaccines at the time? What did the Tzu Chi Foundation say about the scam? It is worth noting that Tzu Chi did complete the procurement of BNT vaccines. After the COVID-19 epidemic in Taiwan worsened in 2021, TSMC, Foxconn/Yongling Foundation, and Tzu Chi each invested in the procurement of BNT vaccines, with a total of 15 million doses. The Central Epidemic Command Center also repeatedly announced that BNT vaccines donated by private groups such as TSMC, Foxconn Yongling, and Tzu Chi had arrived in Taiwan. Regarding the scam case, the Tzu Chi Foundation also issued a statement on June 6, stating that the foundation "will fully cooperate with the judicial authorities in the trial and investigation" and has already commissioned lawyers to handle subsequent legal procedures.