TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei District Prosecutors Office on Friday (Nov. 17) indicted famed diabolo instructor Lu Chi-hsien (魯紀賢) for violating the National Security Act by recruiting active and retired military personnel into a Chinese spy ring.
Liu was a talented diabolo, or Chinese yo-yo, teacher who frequently performed abroad, including a trip to China in 2020. At that time, he was recruited and paid NT$5.7 million (US$180,000) to engage in spying, using his diabolo association as a cover, per Liberty Times.
Upon returning to Taiwan, Liu recruited active-duty and retired military servicemen to engage in the Chinese-funded spy ring. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office said he recruited individuals through online games, hosting banquets, contacting loan sharks, and offering cash rewards.
Beginning in 2022, Liu used his diabolo association to make payments to seven active-duty military officers. In exchange, he got access to military documents, such as military education materials, training lectures, implementation plans, and work meeting reports.
Prior to his detention on Friday, Lu had been found guilty of several counts of fraud, including pocketing sponsorship money for a diabolo competition that never took place. He was also a fugitive for evading the start of a six-year prison sentence handed down by the Supreme Court in March 2023.