Legislative candidate receiving USDT suspected of violating national security law, sending contact list of Congress to China

An independent legislative candidate, Ma Chih-wei, has come under scrutiny for allegedly accepting funds from mainland China, including Tether (USDT), and providing political information. The case has entered the courtroom, with the Taoyuan District Court beginning to investigate the facts.

Taiwan's first legislative candidate, Ma Chih-wei, suspected of receiving funds from China in USDT, has been detained.

Using Cryptocurrency to Receive Funds, Providing Information to China

According to reports, Ma Chih-wei is accused of receiving over one million New Taiwan Dollars in funding, some of which was paid in cryptocurrency, specifically 19,322 USDT, and providing political information to mainland China, allegedly violating the National Security Law. Under the charges from the Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office, Ma has admitted in court to receiving the funds and providing a list of contacts in the parliament, although she argues that these lists are not classified documents.

"Partial Admission" Questioned by the Court

Facing questions from the judge, Ma Chih-wei took a stance of partially admitting and partially denying the accusations. Regarding providing political information, she claimed that what she provided was only public information. However, when the judge presented pages of the list marked "For official use only, no reproduction allowed," she could not refute the evidence.

Ma Chih-wei also detailed her interactions with individuals from China, including key figures she met during her business trip representing a police publication: individuals nicknamed "Ice Sister" and "Ah Hao." She admitted to taking photos of the "Central Government Parliament Contact List for September of the 111th Year of the Republic of China" and sending them to individuals in mainland China through DingTalk, a product under the Alibaba Group.

Why Accept Funding from China?

Ma Chih-wei further explained the background of accepting funding, including economic pressure during the election period. She emphasized that although she did not know the true identity of the other party or the specific purpose of the funding, due to their longstanding relationship, she accepted the funds in an unknown situation.

Defense Lawyer: Civilian Friendship

Ma Chih-wei's defense lawyer pointed out that the relationship between the client and individuals from China was purely based on civilian friendship. They also questioned the prosecution's failure to provide sufficient evidence to prove that "Ice Sister" and others were personnel from mainland intelligence units. At the same time, the defense also pointed out that the parliament contact list is not a classified document, raising doubts about the prosecution's accusations.

The Taoyuan District Court has announced that the next hearing will take place on May 3, where further details of the case will be examined. This case not only involves the personal career of a political figure and allegations of receiving bribes in cryptocurrency but also touches on the delicate political sensitivity between Taiwan and mainland China, attracting significant attention from the public.

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