The prosecution of a group of lawyers who allegedly worked for a fraud ring has embroiled Kaohsiung district court judge Shih Yu-en (石育恩) after judicial investigators searched his office and residence and found NT$3 million (US$93,150) in cash yesterday.
Sixteen lawyers, headed by Cheng Hung-wei (鄭鴻威), along with a legal firm assistant and one accountant, were indicted for links to possible criminal activity.
Shih Yu-en was taken in for questioning.
Photo: Tsai Ching-hua, Taipei Times
Cheng allegedly received the money from operating scams and hid it in Shih’s office, prosecutors said.
Reports said that the two men had been friends since their days as classmates in law school at National Chengchi University.
It is the first time that a judge at the Kaohsiung Ciaotou District Court has been embroiled in a criminal case.
The district court said it would fully cooperate with the investigation.
Cheng allegedly provided the criminal ring with legal advice and directed his assistant Lin Chia-yi (林佳毅) to link up with 15 other lawyers to provide a legal defense if faced with prosecution.
The lawyers had access to investigation proceedings and files at the prosecutors’ office, and allegedly informed members of the criminal ring in advance of moves by judicial authorities, to help them evade police action, the indictment filing showed.
During the investigation, prosecutors said they found communication records showing that Cheng hid millions of illegally acquired money in cash in Shih’s office.
During questioning, Cheng said the NT$3 million was to be used to purchase a house, and had nothing to do with the case under investigation.
Shih was quoted as saying the same thing, adding that he had worked with a real estate developer, and Cheng entrusted him with the money to put as a down payment toward buying a new house.
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