Former Environmental Management Director-General Yen Hsu-ming Indicted for Misusing Public Vehicle and Special Expenses for Family Dinners

On May 29, 2026, Yen Hsu-ming, the former Director-General of the Environmental Management Administration of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of China, was formally indicted by the Taichung District Prosecutors Office. He faces charges of utilizing his official position to defraud property under the Anti-Corruption Act and making false entries in public documents under the Criminal Code. According to prosecutors, Yen allegedly utilized his official electric vehicle for private use at least 14 times between July 2024 and May 2026 to travel south to Huwei Township, Yunlin County to visit his father. The associated highway toll (eTag) fees and electricity costs, totaling NT$1,625, were charged to the public purse. Furthermore, Yen allegedly used the administrative special expense fund, which is strictly designated for official entertainment, to cover the costs of three private family dinners with relatives at restaurants in New Taipei City and Kinmen County, totaling over NT$10,000, and filed false reports claiming these were official business banquets. In total, prosecutors calculated the defrauded public funds to be NT$13,821. Following a raid and interrogation on May 13, Yen was initially released on a NT$300,000 bail with travel restrictions. Given that Yen confessed to the crimes and fully returned the illicit gains during the investigation, and because the defrauded amount in each charge was below NT$50,000, prosecutors requested the court to reduce his sentence and grant probation. In the wake of the incident, the Ministry of Environment immediately reassigned Yen to a non-managerial position and emphasized that it would strengthen internal control mechanisms for special expenses and official vehicles to prevent future occurrences.