New taipei: Seventeen Taiwanese suspects accused of operating a telecom fraud ring in the Philippines were indicted after allegedly defrauding more than 100 victims in Taiwan of over NT$60 million (US$1.9 million), prosecutors said on Tuesday. The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office stated that the indictments were finalized on Monday, with prosecutors recommending a prison sentence of more than 25 years for the alleged ringleader, a man surnamed Chen. The remaining 16 defendants face recommended prison terms ranging from 10 years to more than 20 years, prosecutors added.

According to Focus Taiwan, investigators revealed that the suspects were arrested last year in a joint operation by Taiwanese and Philippine law enforcement authorities targeting a scam operation in Cebu. The suspects were deported from the Philippines to Taiwan in January and later detained and held incommunicado following questioning by prosecutors.

Prosecutors claimed the group allegedly established the scam operation in Cebu in April 2024 and used fake charity campaigns and online romance schemes to target victims in Taiwan. Victims were allegedly instructed to transfer Tether cryptocurrency or cash into designated digital wallets and bank accounts, with the funds quickly moved to conceal the money trail.

Investigators reported that the case involved 112 victims and losses exceeding NT$60 million. Authorities also seized assets worth nearly NT$20 million that were linked to the suspects. The defendants were charged with fraud, money laundering, organized crime offenses, and operating overseas fraud-related equipment, according to prosecutors.

The prosecution noted that some suspects continued to deny wrongdoing and were suspected of colluding with one another during the investigation, showing no remorse. Given the scale of the fraud and the large financial losses involved, prosecutors stated that Chen should face a heavier sentence, particularly as he had allegedly played a long-term leadership role in the operation.