TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A bag containing NT$966,000 (US$31,000) in cash found in a Changhua County train station restroom led police to bust an 11-member fraud ring.
The case began on May 31, when a passenger using the men’s restroom at Yuanlin Station found a brown paper bag left in the corner of a stall, per SET News. Upon opening it, he found the cash and handed it to the station staff, who notified the Railway Police.
A 30-year-old man surnamed Peng (彭) soon appeared, claiming the bag was his. His inconsistent statements about the money’s source raised suspicion, prompting officers to seize the cash and review surveillance footage.
Footage revealed the cash was part of a handoff by a fraud ring to obscure illicit funds. Police reported the case to the Changhua District Prosecutors Office, which formed a special task force to investigate.
Investigators found the group had set up fake “investment company” chat groups on Line, posing as brokers and telling victims to deposit money into a supposed trading platform. They promised high returns and arranged in-person cash handoffs with “representatives.”
A woman in Yuanlin was duped into handing over NT$4 million, NT$966,000 of which was the cash later found in the station restroom. Following the trail, police arrested Peng and another courier surnamed Tsai (蔡) in June.
In September, authorities arrested a senior courier surnamed Hsiao (蕭) and the ringleader Chang (張), who was caught at Taoyuan Airport while attempting to flee abroad despite a travel ban. The four were transferred to prosecutors on charges including fraud, money laundering, and organized crime, and were later detained by court order.
Police identified 11 members involved in the scheme. In addition to the four detained suspects, five couriers were already in custody for other cases, while two others were summoned for questioning.
Authorities seized NT$1.11 million in cash, 10 mobile phones, and two computers as evidence. Investigators estimate the total amount defrauded exceeds NT$10 million and are working to identify more victims.
