What Is 'DPP 1 Million'? Notebook Entry on Tzu Chi Fraud Case Sparks Political Storm, Hsu Chiao-hsin's Remark Goes Viral

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the Tzu Chi Foundation urgently procured and donated 5 million doses of BNT vaccines to Taiwan. However, five years later in 2026, a massive fraud case involving over NT$1.06 billion has come to light, triggering a political storm ahead of the 2026 presidential election. Chen Yu-hsuan, former president of the Changhua Bar Association, has been indicted and a large portion of his assets seized. Media reports have now revealed a handwritten note from Chen that includes an entry labeled 'DPP 1 million,' though the exact recipient and fund flow remain under investigation.

In response, Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin posted on Facebook on the 12th, referencing the report with sarcasm: 'Who is DPP? I don’t know!' Her comment quickly went viral, igniting heated online discussions.

How did Tzu Chi lose over NT$1 billion? How did the lawyer gain their trust?

In 2021, Taiwan faced a severe shortage of vaccines during the height of the pandemic. Prosecutors found that Chen Yu-hsuan and a Li-surnamed vaccine broker falsely claimed to have access to BNT vaccine supplies and even asserted prior involvement in TSMC’s vaccine procurement, thereby gaining Tzu Chi’s trust. They collected high fees and ultimately defrauded approximately NT$1.06 billion.

On August 6, 2026, the Taichung District Prosecutors Office concluded its investigation and indicted Chen Yu-hsuan and 16 others on charges including fraud, breach of trust, forgery of business documents, tax evasion, violations of the Commercial Accounting Act, and money laundering. Authorities have seized assets—including cash, gold, bank deposits, and luxury properties—totaling just over the amount defrauded from Tzu Chi.

The Tzu Chi fraud case has not only raised questions about the foundation’s internal controls but also ignited a political firestorm. On July 7, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) issued a press release accusing the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) of a major political blunder. The DPP stated that former Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) head Chen Shih-chung had repeatedly warned about unlicensed 'vaccine brokers' during the procurement period. Despite these warnings, former legislators such as Chiang Wan-an, Chiang Chi-chen, Ko Chih-en, and Hsu Chiao-hsin had publicly attacked the DPP government and its pandemic response team. The DPP now demands a formal apology.

Hsu Chiao-hsin’s Facebook post questioning 'Who is DPP?' has sparked intense online debate. Netizens responded with comments such as: 'Turns out the real broker was DPP,' 'No one dares to investigate the party headquarters,' 'They won’t be arrested anyway,' 'Another boomerang effect,' 'If it were KMT, they’d have 99 task forces raiding everything,' 'By Ko Wen-je’s case standards, DPP offices would be searched by 200 teams,' 'Even Xiao Shen figured it out—how come DPP can’t?' and 'Investigate thoroughly—was it really a donation to DPP?'

Additional exclusive reports from Feng Media:

• 'Government had enough vaccines—Tzu Chi wouldn’t have been scammed?' Chiang Wan-an recalls the dire situation, stating, 'Some want to erase memories, but the people won’t forget.'

• How did Tzu Chi lose NT$1 billion? Is the DPP capitalizing on this? The lawyer’s hidden NT$600 million in gold was seized in one go—Wu Tzu-chia expresses shock and offers a sharp commentary.

• Tzu Chi’s NT$1 billion fraud—Tsai Ing-wen’s latest response. She personally thanked Master Cheng Yen and explained the chaotic background of the vaccine procurement process.