《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Prosecutors probe police officers role in investment scam

By Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Authorities in New Taipei City yesterday detained about 20 suspects and witnesses for questioning in connection with an alleged investment scam said to involve about a dozen retired and active-service police officers.

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Officials at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office coordinated units from the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau （MJIB） and the Taipei Police Department to mount raids and gather evidence at eight locations as part of a judicial probe into a ring said to be making illegal profits by promoting shares in China’s Macau Galaxy （澳門銀河娛樂度假城）, a luxury casino with a hotel and resort in the former Portuguese colony.

New Taipei City prosecutor Lu Chun-chieh （呂俊杰） said that a preliminary investigation indicated the ring had earned illicit profits of NT$4.6 billion （US$141.05 million） since August 2012 from at least 70 victims, with Hsu Cheng-lun （徐正倫） suspected of masterminding the operation.

Investigators alleged that Hsu lured unsuspecting investors by promising annual returns of between 20 and 60 percent, with investors to be paid in monthly installments, and the capital investment to be returned on maturity.

Investigators said that the operation worked as a pyramid scheme, as Hsu paid out earnings on investments in the initial stages, which then attracted more people by word of mouth and encouraged them to invest.

Investigators said that the alleged scam came to light when investors did not receive any returns on their investments for some time.

A retired police officer, surnamed Tsai （蔡）, and detective Pan Sheng-ta （潘昇達）, who had both served in Taipei police precincts, were among the people taken in for questioning.

It is alleged that they invested NT$10 million in the scheme, then recruited fellow police officers.

Investigators said they are trying to clarify the roles played by Tsai and Pan, adding that possibly another dozen police officers either worked for Hsu or were taken in by the scheme.

Hsu is expected to return from Macau today and officials said they would detain him for questioning upon his arrival.

Suspects and witnesses were still being questioned by New Taipei City prosecutors at press time last night.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES