Two Close Aides of Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen Arrested Over Leak Allegations! Taichung City Government Reveals 'Internal Staff Reported the Case'

A major leak scandal has erupted within the Taichung City Government concerning labor procurement procedures. On April 11, the Taichung District Prosecutors Office confirmed that on April 6, search warrants were executed at the city government’s Secretariat and the residences of four individuals, including Adviser Yan Nai-lun and former Taipei City Government Spokesperson Li Cheng-hsuan. After multiple interrogations, Yan was released on a NT$150,000 bail, while Li was released on NT$300,000.

The Taichung City Government stated that the case stemmed from an internal staff member who, dissatisfied with promotion decisions, filed a report with the Investigation Bureau out of frustration. However, the city government questioned the timing of the search, noting that the alleged incident dates back five years. In response, the Taichung prosecutors clarified that the case was only formally assigned for investigation in September 2023, refuting claims that it involves a reopened old case.

On April 6, prosecutors executed search warrants at the Taichung City Government Secretariat and the homes of four defendants: Yan Nai-lun, former Secretary-General of the Secretariat; Li Cheng-hsuan, former executive of the Industrial Promotion Council and private secretary to Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen; Hung Lung-i, Director of the International Affairs Division; and Huang Ya-hsi, former Special Commissioner of the Secretariat. All four are suspected of leaking confidential information in 2020. After questioning, only Yan and Li were released on bail, while the other two were released without charges.

Yan Nai-lun is considered a close aide of Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen. He began working for Lu at age 23 when she was a legislator, serving as an administrative assistant in her legislative office. At 26, he was promoted to head of the Secretariat, becoming the youngest head of a city-level department among Taiwan’s six major municipalities.

Li Cheng-hsuan also previously served as Lu’s secretary before moving to Taipei to serve as spokesperson for Mayor Chiang Wan-an. He had just announced his resignation yesterday, citing personal career planning, when news broke today of his involvement in the case. Mayor Chiang stated that this was an old case previously investigated in Taichung but not prosecuted, and he hopes the judiciary will handle it fairly and thoroughly.

Lee Shan-chih, Director of the Legal Affairs Department of Taichung City Government, said they respect the judicial process but confirmed the case originated from internal dissatisfaction over promotions. The Investigation Bureau opened the case in 2021, and the city government has cooperated in providing documents for over five years. The delayed timing of the recent search has raised questions about its necessity and legitimacy.

The Taichung prosecutors explained that they did not issue a press release immediately after the search because evidence was still being verified. Now that evidence has been secured, they have publicly disclosed the bail amounts and other compulsory measures. They emphasized that the case was formally referred for investigation by the Taichung Investigation Bureau on September 17, 2023. In March of this year, during a search of a vendor, prosecutors discovered communications involving public officials. Further analysis led to a court application for search warrants in August, which were approved and executed—therefore, the claim that this is a belated search of a five-year-old case is inaccurate.