KMT Taipei Office Raided in Signature Forgery Probe

Allegations of forged signatures in recall campaigns trigger investigation in Taiwan.

In a developing story out of Taiwan, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has launched a probe into alleged signature forgeries within recall campaigns, leading to a search of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Taipei city chapter.

Investigators questioned key KMT figures, including Taipei chapter director Huang Lu Chin-ju (黃呂錦茹), chapter secretary-general Chu Wen-ching (初文卿), chapter secretary Yao Fu-wen (姚富文), and first district committee executive director Tseng Fan-chuan (曾繁川). The prosecutors’ office confirmed the search of offices and homes of individuals connected to the investigation, emphasizing the evidence-driven nature of their inquiry and discouraging political interference.

The investigation centers on claims of falsified signatures in recall campaigns against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶).

The recent actions follow the release on bail of six individuals: Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮), Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟), Liu’s husband, Lin Jui (林叡), Lai Yi-jen (賴苡任), Man Chih-kang (滿志剛) and Chen Kuan-an (陳冠安). These individuals were involved in the recall efforts against Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤). Liu, Lai, and Man each posted bail of NT$500,000; Lee and Lin each posted bail of NT$300,000; and Chen posted bail of NT$200,000.

The probe was initiated after the Central Election Commission flagged irregularities in the collected signatures. Allegations against the DPP include 160 counterfeit signatures and 12 signatures of deceased voters in petitions to recall KMT lawmakers. Conversely, KMT-backed recall efforts against DPP lawmakers allegedly contained 42 counterfeit signatures and 1,784 signatures of deceased voters.

Separately, the New Taipei City District Court has granted bail and issued travel restrictions to six individuals in a related investigation involving alleged fraud in recall campaigns targeting DPP legislators Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧), Wu Chi-ming (吳琪銘), Chang Hung-lu (張宏陸), and Lee Kuen-cheng (李坤城). Earlier, New Taipei City prosecutors had already searched 30 locations.

Additionally, Tainan prosecutors are investigating similar allegations in the campaigns to recall DPP legislators Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) and Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), with the KMT Tainan chapter having been searched on March 20. Two suspects, surnamed Chuang (莊) and Liu (劉), have been detained incommunicado, while three others were released.