Republic of China in-exile court sentences Taiwan Civil Government ‘First Lady’ Julian Lin to 19 years in prison for political fraud

Julian Lin, a public face of Taiwan Civil Government, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison by the Republic of China in-exile for political fraud. (credits: Taiwan Civil Government)

Julian Lin, widow of Taiwan Civil Government founder Roger Lin, has been found guilty by a Taoyuan District Court of fraud and violation of the Organized Crime Prevention Act and Money Laundering Control Act. Lin was sentenced following a three year non-jury trial with numerous adjournments to a term of nineteen years in prison. Lin was also fined $68,000 USD.

Roger Lin died from a fall in his home during the terminal stage of prostate cancer in October 2019, forcing Republic of China in-exile prosecutors to drop charges against him and concentrate their case against Julian. The Lins and others were charged with duping members of TCG with false claims about membership benefits and vanity license plates. Over three hundred members were defrauded out of $3.3 million USD according to prosecutors.

At the heart of the alleged deceptions was the claim that TCG was authorized by the United States Military Government and enjoyed the secret support of the American government. Several millions of dollars were pumped into Washington for think tank receptions, political luncheons, and media events through lobbyist Neil Hare, a registered foreign agent.

Seven decades of strategic ambiguity have so clouded Taiwan’s sovereignty that the exiled Chinese government of Chiang Kai-shek still governs the former Japanese territory. The United States does not recognize the Republic of China in-exile’s sovereignty over Taiwan, yet sells weapons to the ROC. Continued public hero worship of dictator Chiang offends the People’s Republic of China, which expresses territoral claims for the island. Thus the unresolved international status of Taiwan created a fertile field for TCG goals of United States intervention to expel the ROC and permit self-determination for Taiwan.

Roger Lin had already founded TCG before Julian joined and became an activist member. Their mutual attraction turned to marriage and a partnership in political advocacy. Julian came to the attention of the ROC when she and Roger sued the ROC and the USA in federal court in Washington, Roger & Julian Lin vs. ROC and USA, seeking to overturn the 1947 ROC Nationality Act which deprived residents of their Japanese nationality. Although sympathetic, the court decided that any deadline was long past.

Although TCG raised a lot of money, millions of dollars, they also spent a lot on overseas trips, public relations campaigns, advertising, and media events. However, ROC prosecutors claim the Lins and four others skimmed money from the donations. Neil Hare finally dumped TCG when the group defaulted on a million dollar contract with his Global Vision Communications company. Hare may also have been afraid of the ROC prosecutors, who spoke of an unindicted co-conspirator and asked Julian Lin many questions about him and GVC at her preliminary hearing.

Julian Lin was convicted of multiple counts of the fraudlulent taking of property and money laundering. The court ordered a large sum of money, found in Julian’s possession, confiscated along with other cash claimed to be proceeds from fraud. Julian denies it was donated and claims it was family money, inheritance, and life savings kept at home in cash. The two caches were $258,400 USD and $192,678 USD.

Co-defendant,You Xiangjing, the TCG landlord, received two years imprisonment and a $34,000 USD fine for fradulent taking of property. You was likely surprised at his sentence as he had allowed the demolition of his building, the TCG headquarters, for a zoning violation, in a bid for freedom.

Co-defendant Yeh Bi-lian, a bookkeeper, received a sentence of two and a half years imprisonment and fine.

An appeal is expected.