Taoyuan Councilor Chang Chao-liang indicted for agricultural land bribery

Taoyuan City Councilor Chang Chao-liang, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, has been indicted by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for bribery and corruption related to illegal agricultural land construction.

Prosecutors allege that between 2021 and 2023, Chang used his influence as a city councilor and former municipal advisor to solicit bribes from contractors. In one instance, he allegedly demanded 800,000 TWD to prevent the demolition of illegal iron-clad warehouses in the Pingzhen District. He is also accused of defrauding a contractor of an additional 600,000 TWD under the guise of bribing officials.

The investigation revealed that Chang pressured officials within the Agriculture Bureau to issue fraudulent permits, such as misrepresenting illegal structures as legitimate greenhouses, to avoid enforcement actions. Additionally, he is accused of involvement in a 2020 case involving illegal structures on farmland in Longtan, where he allegedly used his position to ensure illegal buildings were classified as existing structures to avoid demolition, resulting in illegal gains of over 3.89 million TWD.

Following the investigation, the Democratic Progressive Party revoked Chang's nomination for reelection. The prosecutor's office stated that because the charges involve serious crimes with potential sentences exceeding 10 years, the case will be heard by lay judges under the Act on Citizen Judges.