CTi News Anchor Indicted for Accepting Chinese Funding, Prosecutors Seek 12-Year Sentence
The Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office indicted former CTi News anchor Lin Chen-yu on Thursday, accusing him of serving as a Chinese Communist Party "white glove" operative who funneled money from Beijing to produce anti-recall propaganda programs and to bribe active-duty Taiwanese military officers. Prosecutors are seeking a cumulative 12-year prison sentence across three separate charges: espionage, bribery of military personnel, and producing content for a hostile foreign force.
Lin, who broadcast under the pen name "Ma De" at CTi News, allegedly received structured payments from China's United Front Work Department to produce television segments aimed at discrediting Taiwan's recall election mechanisms and influencing public opinion. According to the indictment, Lin did not operate independently — he was required to submit program scripts and article drafts to Chinese handlers for review and approval before broadcast, effectively turning a Taiwanese news platform into a propaganda outlet for Beijing. "He willingly served as a white glove," prosecutors stated, noting that Lin continued the operation even after being questioned by investigators.
The case extends beyond media manipulation. Prosecutors also charged Lin with approaching active-duty Taiwanese military personnel and offering them money in exchange for information and cooperation. Under Taiwan's National Security Act, recruiting military personnel on behalf of a hostile foreign force carries severe penalties. Lin reportedly told investigators he "did not know" the CCP's United Front Work Department constituted a "hostile foreign force" — a defense prosecutors dismissed as implausible given the nature and scope of his activities.
The indictment has sent shockwaves through Taiwan's media industry, reigniting debates about Chinese infiltration of news organizations and the vulnerability of journalists to financial inducement from Beijing. The National Communications Commission said it is reviewing CTi News's broadcast license compliance in light of the revelations. The case also highlights what security analysts describe as an evolving Chinese strategy: moving beyond traditional espionage to encompass information warfare, media manipulation, and the systematic cultivation of influence agents across Taiwanese society.