Taipei: Three Vietnamese nationals have been handed prison sentences by the Changhua District Court for their roles in a fraud syndicate, with sentences reaching up to 12 years and two months. The verdict, issued Thursday, details their involvement in schemes that defrauded victims through deceptive investment and dating platforms, as well as fake department store promotions, compelling them to transfer money to specified accounts.

According to Focus Taiwan, the court revealed that two men, identified by their surnames inh and T´, operated as “money mules,” earning approximately NT$12,000 (US$389) for every NT$1 million withdrawn. Another individual, Phan, was responsible for distributing bank cards used in the withdrawals and handling daily cash collections, earning between NT$3,000 and NT$4,000 daily.

The three individuals initially arrived in Taiwan as migrant workers but subsequently fled from their contractual employment. The court identified inh as having engaged in 65 criminal activities involving over 200 cash withdrawals, while T´ and Phan were involved in four and 35 counts, respectively. All three men admitted to their offenses, which influenced the court’s sentencing decisions, with inh receiving 12 years and two months, Phan eight years, and T´ two years.

Post-sentence, the court also mandated the deportation of the three individuals following the completion of their prison terms. The Changhua District Prosecutors Office, which had initially sought sentences as long as 30 years under the “one crime, one punishment” principle, is currently deliberating on whether to pursue an appeal.