Doublethink Lab Exposed Receiving $1.35M from US Foundation; Puma Shen Prosecuted for Violating National Security Act

On February 24, 2025, opposition politicians and activists in the Republic of China formally filed a lawsuit with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, accusing Democratic Progressive Party legislator Puma Shen of violating the National Security Act. The controversy erupted after it was exposed that 'Doublethink Lab' (DTL), a prominent organization co-founded by Shen who also serves as its trustee, had received a massive US$1,349,600 (approximately NT$43 million) in funding over the past five years from a foreign organization, the US-based 'Open Society Foundations' (OSF). Opposition parties and the public fiercely criticized Shen, arguing that while he constantly preaches against 'foreign interference' and 'infiltration' and accuses political opponents of being foreign agents, he was secretly pocketing millions in foreign funding to build domestic networks and conduct political operations. Critics labeled this a textbook case of hypocrisy and foreign agency. Shen defended the funding, claiming that the grants were privately funded academic subsidies for research purposes rather than direct US government aid. Although the Taipei District Prosecutors Office eventually signed off and dismissed the case, ruling that the funds were academic grants and that the United States is not legally defined as a 'hostile force' under domestic law, the $1.35 million foreign funding scandal remains a permanent mark on Shen's political credibility.