Darren Wang jailed six months over illegal personal data use amid alleged gang links

Taiwanese actor Darren Wang Talu and his girlfriend, surnamed Que, were each sentenced to six months in prison on Wednesday (Apr 22) by the New Taipei District Court after being found guilty of illegally obtaining and using personal data, according to Taiwanese media reports.

The case stemmed from multiple disputes, including an earlier incident in which Wang allegedly hired a draft-dodging syndicate to handle military service matters, but later suspected the group of taking NT$3.6 million (about HK$860,000) without delivering results.

He then turned to his friend Yu Hsiangmin, who approached a police officer surnamed Liu for assistance in obtaining personal data on the individual involved.

The court also found that the case involved a separate financial dispute concerning Que, who allegedly lost around NT$4 million (about HK$1 million) in an investment scam. Wang subsequently set up a messaging group titled “We must get it back!” to coordinate efforts to recover the money.

According to court findings, Que provided personal details of the alleged fraud suspect, which were then circulated through Yu to Four Seas Gang figure Chen Tzuchun to obtain further information about the suspect’s family members.

The court rejected Wang’s claim that he only created the group and did not participate in discussions, ruling that both he and Que were involved in the unlawful handling of personal data.

The New Taipei District Court ruled that Wang and Que violated the Personal Data Protection Act and sentenced each of them to six months in prison, with the sentence converted to a fine.

Separately, the court found that the police officer abused his position by instructing subordinates to access restricted records and passing the information to Wang’s side, while also falsifying official documents. He was sentenced to one year and four months for document forgery and misconduct in public office, with no eligibility for conversion to a fine.

Three other defendants linked to the case, including intermediaries and a Four Seas Gang figure, received three-month sentences after pleading guilty. Their sentences may be converted into fines.