On the afternoon of March 26, 2026, a verdict delivered by the Taipei District Court sent shockwaves through Taiwan’s political landscape. Ko Wen-je, the former mayor of Taipei and founder of the Taiwan People’s Party, was sentenced to 17 years in prison and stripped of his civil rights for six years after being found guilty of multiple corruption-related charges. The ruling, which followed a high-profile trial lasting over a year, has not only upended Ko’s personal future but also cast uncertainty over the island’s political dynamics ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
The so-called Jinghua City case, at the heart of this legal drama, involved allegations that Ko accepted bribes, embezzled public funds, and breached trust during his tenure as Taipei mayor from 2020 to 2022. According to BBC, prosecutors accused Ko of receiving 17.1 million New Taiwan dollars (roughly 53,600 US dollars) in exchange for facilitating an increase in the floor area ratio of the Jinghua City development site from 560% to 840%. This decision, prosecutors argued, enabled the developer, Weijing Group, to reap illegal profits exceeding 12.1 billion New Taiwan dollars (about 379 million US dollars).
The Jinghua City shopping center, once a 24-hour retail landmark in Taipei’s Songshan District, had closed its doors in 2019 and was demolished a year later, making way for new commercial office towers. It was during the redevelopment process that the alleged bribery and abuse of power occurred, implicating not only Ko but a host of other figures from both the public and private sectors.
The court’s verdict was far-reaching. Ko was convicted on several counts: 13 years for breach of duty for bribery and profiteering in the Jinghua City case, 3 years and 6 months for public interest embezzlement tied to political donations, and 2 years and 6 months for breach of trust involving the misuse of funds from the Zhongwang Foundation. The sentences were combined for an effective term of 17 years, alongside a six-year deprivation of political rights. The court found him not guilty only on the profiteering charge.
Other defendants also faced the music. Taipei city councilor Ying Xiaowei received a 15-year, 6-month sentence, Weijing Group chairman Shen Qingjing was sentenced to 10 years, and former urban development bureau director Huang Jingmao got 6 years and 6 months. Several others, including former deputy mayor Peng Zhensheng and former executive secretary Shao Xiupai, received sentences with probation, while two defendants were acquitted. The trial involved 11 accused in total, reflecting the breadth of the alleged conspiracy.
Ko’s legal troubles did not end with the Jinghua City affair. As reported by Epoch Times, he faces ongoing investigations into the origins of his wealth, with suspicions raised after his wife, Chen Peiqi, was found to have made numerous ATM deposits and stored large amounts of cash. Authorities are probing whether the family’s assets are disproportionate to Ko’s public service salary. Additional cases under investigation involve land lease rights in the Beitou Shilin Science Park, alleged irregularities in the redevelopment of Taipei’s fruit and fish markets, and potential profiteering in the Nangang Transit Station BOT project.
The political fallout was immediate and dramatic. Under Taiwan’s Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act, any individual sentenced to more than 10 years in prison—even if the verdict is not final and under appeal—is barred from registering as a candidate for president or vice president. This means Ko Wen-je, once seen as a viable contender for the 2028 presidential race, is now out of the running. As BBC noted, Ko’s defeat in the 2024 presidential election did not diminish his ambitions, with his concession speech interpreted as a hint at another run. The court’s decision has, at least for now, closed that door.
Ko’s Taiwan People’s Party, which secured eight seats in the Legislative Yuan in 2024 and became the third largest party, now faces a leadership vacuum. Ko had already resigned as party chairman in December 2024, with Huang Guochang taking over in February 2025. The verdict is widely seen as a blow to the party’s prospects, especially as it navigates alliances and rivalries with the larger Kuomintang (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Public reaction to the verdict was intense. Hundreds of Ko’s supporters gathered outside the courthouse, some in tears upon hearing the news. Security was tight, with police erecting barricades to manage the crowds. Ko himself arrived at the court at 2:15 PM, just before the 2:30 PM reading of the verdict, and was expected to address the media later that evening. According to United Daily News, Ko’s initial reaction was a mix of solemnity and defiance—his expression serious, then breaking into a smile as he told the judge he would not attempt to flee and pleaded for leniency regarding bail conditions. Ko revealed that his bail, set at 70 million New Taiwan dollars, was raised by borrowing from his mother and sister, and he requested that no additional bail be imposed.
Throughout the trial, Ko maintained his innocence, characterizing the prosecution as politically motivated. He refused to testify, asserting that he was the target of “political persecution.” Taiwan’s ruling DPP responded by reiterating its respect for judicial independence and declining to comment on individual cases. “The relevant issues should return to facts and the law,” the party stated, urging all parties to respect the judicial process.
Meanwhile, the KMT and its supporters saw the verdict as a potential realignment of power. With Ko sidelined, the KMT is expected to have a stronger hand in local electoral alliances, particularly in regions where contests with the DPP are closely fought. Political observers, such as Soochow University’s Chen Fang-yu, told BBC that Ko’s absence might actually smooth the way for KMT-TPP cooperation, but predicted that the TPP’s new chairman, Huang Guochang, would struggle to fully inherit Ko’s base of supporters.
The prosecution had initially sought a much harsher sentence—28 years and 6 months—but the court’s final decision was seen by some as both severe and symbolic. As United Daily News put it, the sentence amounted to a “political death penalty” for Ko, stripping him not only of his freedom but also of his influence in Taiwan’s political arena.
With appeals expected and other investigations ongoing, Ko Wen-je’s legal saga is far from over. Yet the verdict delivered on March 26, 2026, marks a watershed moment: a once-rising political star now faces years behind bars, and Taiwan’s political landscape must adjust to a new, uncertain reality.