Woman Sentenced to 12.5 Years for Defrauding 3 Americans of NT$170 Million
A female ringleader of a fraud group, surnamed Liao, was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison by the Taichung District Court for defrauding three American victims of over NT$170 million through romance scams. An accomplice, surnamed Huang, received a 3-year and 8-month sentence. The verdict can be appealed.
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- 📰 Published: June 3, 2026 at 15:58
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(Central News Agency, Taichung, 3rd) Liao, a female ringleader of a fraud group who had long been staying overseas, defrauded three American victims of over NT$170 million through romance scams. Liao returned to Taiwan last year and was arrested. She was indicted by prosecutors on charges including fraud. After trial, the Taichung District Court today sentenced her to 12 years and 6 months in prison in the first instance. The verdict can be appealed.
According to the prosecution's indictment, Liao, 36, was a high-ranking cadre of a fraud group and recruited Huang, 39, to serve as a cash courier leader. Around June 2023, Liao impersonated two unwitting acquaintances and used their passports to open several corporate financial accounts at banking institutions in the United States.
Liao then used romance scams as a method, first gaining the victims' trust with small investment profits, then demanding they transfer funds to designated corporate accounts, or instructing members surnamed Xiao and Sun (American citizens, being investigated by US authorities) to collect cash in person. Liao then deposited the criminal proceeds into the account of her unwitting mother, and purchased luxury watches, diamonds, the cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Tether (USDT), and an imported car for her unwitting father.
The three American victims were successively defrauded of a total of US$5.32 million, equivalent to approximately NT$170.52 million at the exchange rate at the time, and reported the case to the US police. Because Liao had long been staying overseas, the US side first provided relevant criminal evidence to the Taiwanese authorities. When Liao returned to the country on January 24, 2025, she was apprehended at Taoyuan International Airport. After being re-interrogated by prosecutors, she was detained and banned from communication.
After investigation by the Taichung District Prosecutors Office, based on relevant evidence, Liao and Huang were indicted on charges including violation of the Organized Crime Prevention Act, aggravated fraud under the Criminal Code, the Money Laundering Control Act, and the Passport Act.
After trial, the Taiwan Taichung District Court today sentenced Liao to a combined sentence of 12 years and 6 months, and Huang to 3 years and 8 months in prison, for violations including the Organized Crime Prevention Act. The verdict can be appealed. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1150603
According to the prosecution's indictment, Liao, 36, was a high-ranking cadre of a fraud group and recruited Huang, 39, to serve as a cash courier leader. Around June 2023, Liao impersonated two unwitting acquaintances and used their passports to open several corporate financial accounts at banking institutions in the United States.
Liao then used romance scams as a method, first gaining the victims' trust with small investment profits, then demanding they transfer funds to designated corporate accounts, or instructing members surnamed Xiao and Sun (American citizens, being investigated by US authorities) to collect cash in person. Liao then deposited the criminal proceeds into the account of her unwitting mother, and purchased luxury watches, diamonds, the cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Tether (USDT), and an imported car for her unwitting father.
The three American victims were successively defrauded of a total of US$5.32 million, equivalent to approximately NT$170.52 million at the exchange rate at the time, and reported the case to the US police. Because Liao had long been staying overseas, the US side first provided relevant criminal evidence to the Taiwanese authorities. When Liao returned to the country on January 24, 2025, she was apprehended at Taoyuan International Airport. After being re-interrogated by prosecutors, she was detained and banned from communication.
After investigation by the Taichung District Prosecutors Office, based on relevant evidence, Liao and Huang were indicted on charges including violation of the Organized Crime Prevention Act, aggravated fraud under the Criminal Code, the Money Laundering Control Act, and the Passport Act.
After trial, the Taiwan Taichung District Court today sentenced Liao to a combined sentence of 12 years and 6 months, and Huang to 3 years and 8 months in prison, for violations including the Organized Crime Prevention Act. The verdict can be appealed. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1150603