Councilor apprehended for alleged money laundering activities in Chiayi

In a shocking turn of events, Chiayi County Councilor Tsai Cheng-yi, also known as the "Windshield Wiper," was arrested on Sunday while attempting to board an international flight. The investigation into Tsai's activities is being conducted by Kaohsiung's Ciaotou District Prosecutors' Office.

Tsai is accused of heading a criminal organization that assists in money transfers and money laundering for international gambling and casino operators. Prosecutors estimate that this criminal organization has handled up to NT$20 billion (US$650.9 million) over the past four years.

The search results do not provide the name of this organization or specific details about it. However, it is alleged that Tsai works with online casino sites and gambling businesses run by crime networks in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Investigators raided a money laundering operation in Kaohsiung, arresting several suspects and gathering evidence implicating Tsai as the main backer. The investigation uncovered several money transfer and laundering operations in Kaohsiung and other cities, including computers and telecom systems for international remittance and money laundering.

Tsai's employees are accused of operating online banking and transaction services, linking up with offshore entities to send illegal gambling proceeds to dummy accounts, where funds were converted to cryptocurrencies, primarily ether.

It is important to note that the article does not mention any charges or convictions related to the money laundering case specifically.

Tsai was previously arrested in 2009 for his involvement in an underground betting ring and was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison. He was released from prison in 2016.

Despite his criminal past, Tsai was elected to the Chiayi County Council from Dongshih Township in the 2022 nine-in-one elections, but is not affiliated with a party.

Prosecutors plan to charge Tsai Cheng-yi under the Organized Crime Prevention Act and the Money Laundering Control Act for allegedly laundering over NT$100 million. The investigation also found that Tsai owns a residence in Kaohsiung's harbor-front area worth more than NT$100 million, as well as several other properties and high-worth assets.

Tsai is currently being questioned and placed in pretrial detention. The case is still under investigation, and further details will be provided as they become available.