Elderly Woman Dead, Son Suspected of Defrauding Pension Released Without Bail; Yilan Prosecutor Appeals
A man in Yilan is accused of hiding his mother's death to defraud her pension, allegedly exceeding NT$200,000. Although prosecutors sought detention, the court released him without bail. Prosecutors appealed, citing his years of obstructing visits as evidence tampering.
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- 📰 Published: April 20, 2026 at 19:15
- 🔍 Collected: April 20, 2026 at 20:01 (46 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 20:08 (6 min after Collected)
Central News Agency (Central News Agency Reporter Wang Chao-yu Yilan, April 20) A Zhang-surname man living with his 91-year-old mother in Yilan County is suspected of defrauding her elder welfare pension by concealing her death. After a prosecutor's interrogation, he was released without bail by the court. However, the prosecutor believes that the man has obstructed others from visiting for years, suspecting evidence tampering, and filed an appeal today.
The Yilan County Police Bureau's Luodong Branch received a report from family members stating that they had been unable to contact their mother living in Luodong Township for several years and were repeatedly refused entry by her brother, Mr. Zhang, when attempting to visit. The police, under the command of Prosecutor Lin Yu-hong of the Yilan District Prosecutor's Office, obtained a search warrant and entered the residence on the evening of the 16th, discovering that Mrs. Zhang had been deceased for a considerable time.
Police investigation revealed that Mrs. Zhang had no medical records in recent years, and her monthly elder welfare pension was withdrawn by her son, Mr. Zhang, from the post office. It is suspected that Mr. Zhang has defrauded over NT$200,000 in pension benefits. After arresting and interrogating Mr. Zhang, the prosecutor deemed him a major suspect for forgery and fraud, with a risk of recidivism and evidence tampering, and petitioned the Yilan District Court for detention and prohibition of communication. However, after questioning, the judge ruled that the case had been exposed, Mr. Zhang posed no risk of re-offending, and given that the case originated from a family report and that family members had not contacted Mr. Zhang for years, there was no risk of collusion. The court thus ruled for his release without bail.
Nevertheless, the prosecutor believes that in recent years, regardless of whether it was family, social workers, police officers, or village chiefs, or even Luodong Township Mayor Wu Chiou-ling visiting to present elder gifts, they were all refused entry by Mr. Zhang. The prosecutor suspects that Mr. Zhang may have already destroyed evidence and thus filed an appeal today against the court's decision. (Editor: Zhang Yajing) 1150420
The Yilan County Police Bureau's Luodong Branch received a report from family members stating that they had been unable to contact their mother living in Luodong Township for several years and were repeatedly refused entry by her brother, Mr. Zhang, when attempting to visit. The police, under the command of Prosecutor Lin Yu-hong of the Yilan District Prosecutor's Office, obtained a search warrant and entered the residence on the evening of the 16th, discovering that Mrs. Zhang had been deceased for a considerable time.
Police investigation revealed that Mrs. Zhang had no medical records in recent years, and her monthly elder welfare pension was withdrawn by her son, Mr. Zhang, from the post office. It is suspected that Mr. Zhang has defrauded over NT$200,000 in pension benefits. After arresting and interrogating Mr. Zhang, the prosecutor deemed him a major suspect for forgery and fraud, with a risk of recidivism and evidence tampering, and petitioned the Yilan District Court for detention and prohibition of communication. However, after questioning, the judge ruled that the case had been exposed, Mr. Zhang posed no risk of re-offending, and given that the case originated from a family report and that family members had not contacted Mr. Zhang for years, there was no risk of collusion. The court thus ruled for his release without bail.
Nevertheless, the prosecutor believes that in recent years, regardless of whether it was family, social workers, police officers, or village chiefs, or even Luodong Township Mayor Wu Chiou-ling visiting to present elder gifts, they were all refused entry by Mr. Zhang. The prosecutor suspects that Mr. Zhang may have already destroyed evidence and thus filed an appeal today against the court's decision. (Editor: Zhang Yajing) 1150420