Miaoli County, Taiwan — March 28, 2026
A migrant worker from Vietnam has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison after being found guilty of participating in a telecom fraud scheme in Miaoli County. The court also ordered his deportation after serving his sentence. The case remains under appeal.
According to the Miaoli District Court, the suspect, identified as Pan, was a fugitive migrant worker who joined a fraud syndicate in September last year through a Telegram group named “Vietnam NO.2.” He was allegedly directed by a fellow Vietnamese national known as “Xiao Yu” to collect packages containing bank cards and carry out illegal financial operations.
Court findings showed that Pan retrieved a parcel containing five fraudulent bank cards before heading to a motel in Miaoli City. Inside the room, he used a laptop and card reader provided by the syndicate to check account balances, test transfer capabilities, and change PIN codes of the cards to facilitate money laundering.
Police had been tracking the group’s activities prior to the arrest. Authorities acted when a courier surnamed Li arrived at the motel to hand over NT$6,000 as payment. Officers then raided the room and apprehended Pan while he was actively operating the equipment.
During interrogation, Pan claimed he had joined the fraud ring only three days before his arrest and received NT$6,000 in compensation.
In its ruling, the court emphasized that the migrant worker knowingly participated in an organized fraud network, helping create financial transaction layers that made it more difficult for investigators to trace illegal funds, posing a serious threat to public safety.
He was convicted under charges of fraud involving multiple individuals using the internet to deceive the public for financial gain. In addition to his prison term, he will be deported after completing his sentence.