An Accell Group accountant has been indicted on suspicion of embezzling NT$230 million (US$7.19 million) from the company’s accounts over the past four years and spending it on luxury goods.
According to a report in the Chinese-language Apple Daily, a woman named Liu Fang-ting (劉方婷) worked at the group’s Taiwan branch as an accountant and cashier.
In January, the company announced it had a financial “hole” after checking its accounts following complaints that it had not made several payments, the report said.
The company, registered in the Netherlands, is reported to be the largest bicycle manufacturer in Europe and owns about 20 high-end brands that are sold throughout Europe and the US.
Liu turned herself in after police began an investigation, claiming that she had spent all of the money skimmed from the company accounts on high-end luxury goods, the report said.
Following inquiries with more than 10 Internet sellers of boutique items, police said Liu allegedly spent the money on luxury items, with Hermes branded goods being her main target, according to the report.
Liu allegedly used the funds to buy department store vouchers, using them to purchase other brand-name items from Cartier, Mikimoto and Loewe, the report said, adding that records showed Liu purchased more than 800 high-end luxury items.
Liu allegedly bought at least six of Hermes’ Birkin-range bags online, each priced at NT$1.7 million to NT$2 million, sellers contacted by the Apple Daily were quoted as saying, adding that if any seller advertised their items as “limited” or “rare,” Liu would not hesitate to buy them, many times not even bothering to haggle.
Liu’s penchant for collecting luxury items caused arguments with her husband, who works abroad, the report said, adding that Liu’s husband was unaware of where the money had come from.
Liu told police during questioning that she was trying to emulate Chen Kaiyun (陳凱韻), Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau’s (劉鑾雄) girlfriend, who has been photographed carrying Hermes bags, the report said.
Liu was indicted on charges of embezzlement and forgery, and was released on bail of NT$200,000.
The case is to go to trial on Friday next week.
Accell Group said it was “greatly disappointed” to hear of Liu’s alleged actions, adding that it would bolster its internal management procedures, the report said.
The incident would not affect the group’s ability to make a profit, it said.
ANOTHER EMERGES: The CWA yesterday said this year’s fourth storm of the typhoon season had formed in the South China Sea, but was not expected to affect Taiwan Tropical Storm Gaemi has intensified slightly as it heads toward Taiwan, where it is expected to affect the country in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 8am yesterday, the 120km-radius storm was 800km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving at 9kph northwest, the agency said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued tonight at the earliest, it said, adding that the storm is projected to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday. Gaemi’s potential effect on Taiwan remains unclear, as that would depend on its direction, radius and intensity, forecasters said. Former Weather Forecast
As COVID-19 cases in Japan have been increasing for 10 consecutive weeks, people should get vaccinated before visiting the nation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said. The centers reported 773 hospitalizations and 124 deaths related to COVID-19 in Taiwan last week. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) on Tuesday said the number of weekly COVID-19 cases reported in Japan has been increasing since mid-May and surpassed 55,000 cases from July 8 to July 14. The average number of COVID-19 patients at Japan’s healthcare facilities that week was also 1.39 times that of the week before and KP.3 is the dominant
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) working group for Taiwan-related policies is likely to be upgraded to a committee-level body, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said. As Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is increasingly likely to upgrade the CCP’s Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs, Taiwanese authorities should prepare by researching Xi and the CCP, the report said. At the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, which ended on Thursday last week, the party set a target of 2029 for the completion of some tasks, meaning that Xi is likely preparing to
US-CHINA TRADE DISPUTE: Despite Beijing’s offer of preferential treatment, the lure of China has dimmed as Taiwanese and international investors move out Japan and the US have become the favored destinations for Taiwanese graduates as China’s attraction has waned over the years, the Ministry of Labor said. According to the ministry’s latest income and employment advisory published this month, 3,215 Taiwanese university graduates from the class of 2020 went to Japan, surpassing for the first time the 2,881 graduates who went to China. A total of 2,300 graduates from the class of 2021 went to the US, compared with the 2,262 who went to China, the document showed. The trend continued for the class of 2023, of whom 1,460 went to Japan, 1,334 went to