TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The eldest son of "Mushroom King” Lin Tien-tsai (林天財) has been sentenced to five years probation in a case involving verbal abuse and physical assault against employees at his brother-in-law's company last year, UDN reported on Sunday (Sept. 17).

The incident took place when Lin, acting as a shareholder in the company, requested access to financial statements. Employees told him they needed approval from Lin's sister-in-law, the company's manager, before they could provide Lin with the documents.

Lin proceeded to verbally abuse the staff, telling them they were "worthless," and he threatened to replace the entire workforce unless he received the daily and monthly reports he had requested. He also reportedly swept documents off desks, flipped over office chairs, and even threw a folder at employees.

In June 2022, adding to the legal troubles, Lin was involved in a physical altercation with his younger brother during a funeral event organized by their father. The altercation left his younger brother with multiple facial and limb injuries.

Subsequently, Lin's younger brother and 11 of his employees filed charges against him for coercion and assault. In the initial trial, Lin received a seven-month prison sentence for the coercion charge and a similar sentence for other offenses, with the option to pay a fine.

Lin appealed the ruling to the Taichung High Court, where he negotiated settlements with each of the 11 employees, collectively compensating them with a total of TW$550,000 (US$17,245). The high court rescinded the original sentence, and Lin was instead sentenced to one year in prison, which could be commuted to a fine of TW$360,000.

In addition, Lin received a five-year probation period, where he is mandated to complete 40 hours of community service for a designated organization and attend six legal education sessions. The verdict has been deemed final.

Lin’s father, Lin Tien-tsai, researched and cultivated "Taiwan High-Temperature Mushrooms," which made Taiwan the world's leading mushroom exporter in the 1950s and 1960s, earning it a significant amount of foreign exchange. However, in later years, Lin's father frequently appeared in news headlines for tax evasion and family feuds.