Kaohsiung: The Kaohsiung District Court has imposed an eight-month travel ban on city councilor Huang Shao-ting in connection to ongoing corruption investigations. The decision was made following a court hearing on Thursday, prompted by charges from the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office, which allege that Huang has violated Taiwan's Criminal Code and Anti-Corruption Act. According to Focus Taiwan, the charges involve a total of 14 individuals, including Huang and his wife, accused of embezzlement-related offenses. Huang, a member of the Kuomintang (KMT), allegedly embezzled approximately NT$14.55 million over his three terms as a councilor in Kaohsiung City. Prosecutors claim that Huang falsely reported the number of assistants he employed, securing NT$13.09 million in government-subsidized salary payments. Among these false claims was his wife, surnamed Lee, who resides in the United States. Further allegations suggest Huang inflated the salaries of actual assistants, pocketing the NT$1.45 million diff erence. Notably, Huang left Taiwan just before prosecutors secured a search warrant and returned a day later than planned. In addition to embezzlement, prosecutors accuse Huang of disseminating false information to the media during the investigation. However, he has since confessed, returned the misappropriated funds, and identified other individuals involved, prompting prosecutors to consider leniency. During the hearing, prosecutors expressed concerns over Huang's potential flight risk due to his family's overseas residence. Huang's defense countered by highlighting his voluntary return to Taiwan. The court decreed that Huang would be subject to remote monitoring and mandatory check-ins twice a week, with bail set at NT$1.5 million. Additionally, he must not use city council meetings to evade these obligations.
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