Tainan City Councilor Investigated for Fraud 涉浮報助理費 檢警搜索林炳利辦公室

Tainan City Council Deputy Speaker Lin Ping-li is under investigation for over-reporting assistant fees, and searches were conducted at the Tainan City Council, at Lin's service station, and at his home. Prosecutors say Lin is suspected of defrauding NT$27 million.

An extraordinary session of the Tainan City Council has just ended, and police officers and prosecutors enter the office of Deputy Speaker Lin Ping-li to conduct a search. Prosecutors discovered from the council's financial records that during Lin's first through third terms on the council, he over-reported assistant fees using the names of people who were not assistants and then used the collected money for other purposes. The preliminary investigation shows he defrauded NT$27 million. 

Lin Chung-pin, Dep. Chief Prosecutor, Tainan District Prosecutors Office: “Between 2010 and November this year, he used the assistant fee method to apply for publicly-funded assistant fees. He used the names of his relatives and friends. We estimate that he defrauded NT$27 million in assistant fees between 2010 and this year.”

Prosecutors searched Lin's council office, service office, and home. They also named 23 defendants and two witnesses. Lin is currently hospitalized, so he has not yet been questioned.

Kuo Hsin-liang, Speaker, Tainan City Council: “His condition is still being brought under control. He is currently undergoing treatment. I heard yesterday that they want to question him, but doctors are not willing to let prosecutors bring him in for questioning now due to his state, so they will go to the hospital to take a statement.”

Lin represents Annan District. He has served six consecutive terms as an independent councilor, including three in the Tainan City Council. He joined forces with Speaker Kuo Hsin-liang in 2018 and was elected as the deputy speaker with 28 votes. Lin is hospitalized and can't be questioned, and prosecutors are hoping to coordinate with the hospital to determine a suitable interrogation location and time that won't affect his health.
 

台南市議會的臨時會剛結束，不過檢警卻大陣仗搜索副議長林炳利的辦公室，因為檢方從議會財務資料發現，林炳利在第1屆到第3屆的議員任期，曾以假人頭向議會浮報助理費，並將費用挪作他用，初步估計詐得金額約2700餘萬元。

台南地檢署襄閱主任檢察官林仲斌說:「他從99年開始到今年11月，他都利用人頭助理費的方式，人頭助理方式來請領公費助理的助理費。這些人頭大概都是他的親人或朋友，初步估計99年到今年為止，詐得的助理費用大約是2700萬元左右。」

檢方針對議會以及林炳利服務處、住家搜索，共有23名被告，2名證人，不過林炳利卻因為生病住院無法應訊。

台南市議會議長郭信良表示:「現在他的病情尚還在控制當中，但是因為他在治療當中，昨天也有傳訊說他要應訊，但是因為他病情的關係，醫師不敢大意的讓檢調單位帶回去調查，所以是去醫院做完他的筆錄。」

南市安南區市議員林炳利曾任台南市第14、15、16屆議員，以及大台南直轄市第1、2、3屆議員，為6連霸的無黨籍議員，更在2018年和議長郭信良聯手，以28票當選市議會副議長。另外也因為住院中的林炳利無法偵訊，檢方還將和醫院溝通，討論合適的問訊地點和時間，在不影響林炳利的健康狀況下問訊。