A Taipei court sentenced author Wang Yun to 12 years in prison for fatal abuse of a follower. The verdict came today after a standard trial at the Taipei District Court. Wang, also known as Wang Chiang-chen, styled himself as a spiritual master for 30 years. Consequently, this fatal abuse case involved a female follower surnamed Tsai who served as an accountant. Tsai died from rhabdomyolysis due to prolonged physical mistreatment. Therefore, the court found Wang guilty of injury causing death.
The fatal abuse stemmed from an alleged accounting error during Wang’s divorce proceedings. Wang became furious after Tsai reportedly made a mistake in property division. He claimed the error cost him millions of New Taiwan dollars. In retaliation, Wang organized struggle sessions to force Tsai to admit fault. Followers subjected Tsai to extreme physical punishments during these sessions. They forced her to perform 400 to 500 full prostrations daily.
Despite Tsai being only 141 centimeters tall, Wang ordered her to do running jumps to touch ceiling lights. He also made her carry other followers on her back and roll on the ground. Consequently, this fatal abuse culminated in a nearly five-hour ordeal. Followers forced Tsai to repeatedly kneel before a Bodhisattva statue. They dragged her back and forth and kneed her in the back. Other followers struck her head, shoulders, and buttocks. At one point, they dragged Tsai, causing her head to hit the pavement. Multiple followers either watched, voiced support, or stood guard at the door.
After Tsai lost consciousness, followers failed to call an ambulance immediately. Instead, they formed a chat group to collude on a false story. They planned to attribute her death to poor health. By the time someone called an ambulance, Tsai was already dead. Thus, the fatal abuse case exposed a pattern of systematic violence at the center. Actor Lee Wei and his wife Chien Yu-chia received suspended sentences as they cooperated with prosecutors.
Senior followers acting as enforcers received 10-year terms. Other defendants got between 1.5 and 10 years. The court declined to use citizen judges due to the case’s complexity. Wang’s real name is Wang Chiang-chen. He founded the Buddhist center 30 years ago. Followers faced review sessions for perceived mistakes or character flaws. These sessions involved mob encirclement, verbal abuse, and physical coercion. The victim’s brother spoke to reporters outside the court today. The rulings remain subject to appeal.
