Tzu Chi's $100 Million Vaccine Broker Scam: Did the Fraudsters Approach Foxconn? Court Documents Reveal a Key Clue — Guo Tai-ming Saw Through the Scheme and Refused

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan faced a severe shortage of vaccines. In response, the Tzu Chi Foundation urgently sought to procure 5 million doses of BNT vaccines and entrusted Yu-Da Enterprise Management Consulting Company, led by Chen Yu-shuan, a former chairman of the Changhua Bar Association, to act as intermediary. Tzu Chi paid a commission of approximately USD 30 million (over NT$1 billion) for the procurement. However, it was later revealed that no actual vaccine supply or legitimate channel existed — the entire operation was a fraud.

The Taichung District Prosecutors Office has indicted the involved parties. Internet personality Liu Yu, known as 'Sichamao' (Four-Cat), analyzed the prosecution documents and discovered that the same group of vaccine brokers had previously approached Terry Gou, founder of Foxconn. However, Gou refused all proposals after failing to verify the individual's identity and background.

Liu commented on Facebook: 'No wonder he's a big boss — his alertness is on another level.' According to page 133 of the indictment, in a criminal statement, Gou stated: 'During the pandemic, my procurement and donation of BNT vaccines were conducted directly with major shareholders of Germany’s BNT. I did not use any intermediaries or brokers, nor did I authorize the defendant Li. My contact with the foundation was through witness Hsu, and had no connection to defendant Li. Although Hsu introduced a man surnamed Li, who used the English name [redacted], this individual only proposed investment opportunities and a Taipei development project. Since I could not verify his identity or background, I rejected all his proposals.'

Tzu Chi's CEO, Yen Po-wen, testified that they were introduced to Li Yi-ju, presented as an 'American Tzu Chi youth,' who brought Chen Yu-shuan and others to meet Master Cheng Yen. They falsely claimed to be major shareholders of Shanghai Fosun with direct access to BNT vaccines, and even lied about having accompanied Terry Gou to visit the German manufacturer to expedite shipments. In reality, none of these claims were true, and Tzu Chi lost a massive sum of money.

This incident highlights the risks of private vaccine procurement during emergencies and underscores the critical importance of transparency and verification. Gou’s swift judgment protected Foxconn from a similar scam, serving as a clear example of effective executive risk management.