Ai Er Li Clinic's Refund Agreement Includes Waiver of Legal Claims; Consumer Protection Officer: Has Nature of Settlement
Ai Er Li Clinic's refund agreement, which includes a clause requiring customers to waive civil and criminal claims, has sparked controversy. New Taipei City's consumer protection officer stated that the agreement has the nature of a settlement, and signing it would impede future lawsuits. Consumers are advised to evaluate carefully.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 20:19
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 20:32 (13 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 20:57 (25 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Cao Ya-yan, New Taipei, 7th) Ai Er Li Clinic has been embroiled in a hidden pinhole camera scandal. The group announced today that it would offer refunds, but its refund agreement includes a clause requiring the waiver of civil and criminal claims, which has raised questions. New Taipei consumer protection officials pointed out that the refund agreement has the nature of a settlement, and if signed, it would have the effect of impeding lawsuits. Consumers must weigh their options and evaluate carefully.
In response, a senior prosecutor noted that the refund agreement is a civil contract and does not affect the establishment of criminal liability or the right to file criminal charges. If the public signs to agree to the refund, they "can still file criminal charges" and it will not affect the perpetrator's criminal liability.
Ai Er Li Clinic was found to have a suspected pinhole camera hidden in a smoke detector. The group's president Chang Ru-shan, assistant manager Zhang, and vendor Xie, among others, were involved in offenses such as obstructing sexual privacy and were detained by prosecutors. The Ai Er Li Group issued a statement today apologizing to consumers and offering refunds.
However, some netizens pointed out that the refund agreement provided by Ai Er Li contains the clause: "After the clinic fulfills the agreement reached by both parties, the customer shall waive all other civil and criminal claims related to this incident," which has led to accusations of trying to silence consumers.
Wang Chih-yu, director of the New Taipei City Government Consumer Protection Office, told a Central News Agency reporter in a phone interview that the content of the refund agreement has the nature of a settlement. In general settlement or consumer dispute mediation, waiving legal claims is a common provision, and settlement templates usually include this clause.
Regarding whether to sign, Wang Chih-yu said that consumers must weigh their options: whether to agree and quickly receive a refund, or choose not to sign and retain the right to sue and pursue legal action. However, lawsuits usually take a long time. If consumers sign and then sue, the clinic may use this as a basis to impede the lawsuit, so careful evaluation is necessary.
Regarding the Ai Er Li consumer dispute, the New Taipei City Legal Affairs Bureau issued a press release in the evening stating that the city government has launched three measures to protect consumers: first, consumer protection officers are accepting consumer complaints and assisting the public in entering mediation procedures, with 57 complaints received as of today; second, professional lawyers are commissioned to provide legal consultation to help the public understand criminal procedures, incidental civil actions, and the differences in class actions; finally, health, police, and legal units will cooperate across departments to integrate relevant information to prevent the public from being unable to seek help.
The Legal Affairs Bureau added that consulting citizens can bring relevant written materials to the legal consultation room at the United Service Center on the first floor of the New Taipei City Government Administration Building for free legal consultation services. On-site consultation hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, by walk-in or by appointment through the Legal Affairs Bureau's official website. Consumers can also go to nearby district mediation committees, where pro bono lawyers will provide consultation services. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150507
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency reporter Cao Ya-yan, New Taipei, 7th) Ai Er Li Clinic has been embroiled in a hidden pinhole camera scandal. The group announced today that it would offer refunds, but its refund agreement includes a clause requiring the waiver of civil and criminal claims, which has raised questions. New Taipei consumer protection officials pointed out that the refund agreement has the nature of a settlement, and if signed, it would have the effect of impeding lawsuits. Consumers must weigh their options and evaluate carefully.
In response, a senior prosecutor noted that the refund agreement is a civil contract and does not affect the establishment of criminal liability or the right to file criminal charges. If the public signs to agree to the refund, they "can still file criminal charges" and it will not affect the perpetrator's criminal liability.
Ai Er Li Clinic was found to have a suspected pinhole camera hidden in a smoke detector. The group's president Chang Ru-shan, assistant manager Zhang, and vendor Xie, among others, were involved in offenses such as obstructing sexual privacy and were detained by prosecutors. The Ai Er Li Group issued a statement today apologizing to consumers and offering refunds.
However, some netizens pointed out that the refund agreement provided by Ai Er Li contains the clause: "After the clinic fulfills the agreement reached by both parties, the customer shall waive all other civil and criminal claims related to this incident," which has led to accusations of trying to silence consumers.
Wang Chih-yu, director of the New Taipei City Government Consumer Protection Office, told a Central News Agency reporter in a phone interview that the content of the refund agreement has the nature of a settlement. In general settlement or consumer dispute mediation, waiving legal claims is a common provision, and settlement templates usually include this clause.
Regarding whether to sign, Wang Chih-yu said that consumers must weigh their options: whether to agree and quickly receive a refund, or choose not to sign and retain the right to sue and pursue legal action. However, lawsuits usually take a long time. If consumers sign and then sue, the clinic may use this as a basis to impede the lawsuit, so careful evaluation is necessary.
Regarding the Ai Er Li consumer dispute, the New Taipei City Legal Affairs Bureau issued a press release in the evening stating that the city government has launched three measures to protect consumers: first, consumer protection officers are accepting consumer complaints and assisting the public in entering mediation procedures, with 57 complaints received as of today; second, professional lawyers are commissioned to provide legal consultation to help the public understand criminal procedures, incidental civil actions, and the differences in class actions; finally, health, police, and legal units will cooperate across departments to integrate relevant information to prevent the public from being unable to seek help.
The Legal Affairs Bureau added that consulting citizens can bring relevant written materials to the legal consultation room at the United Service Center on the first floor of the New Taipei City Government Administration Building for free legal consultation services. On-site consultation hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, by walk-in or by appointment through the Legal Affairs Bureau's official website. Consumers can also go to nearby district mediation committees, where pro bono lawyers will provide consultation services. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150507
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.