Ting Hsin’s Wei Ying-chun indicted
Staff
writer, with CAN
Wed, Oct 22, 2014
Ting Hsin International Group (頂新集團) executive Wei Ying-chun (魏應充) was indicted
yesterday on charges of fraud, forgery and food-related regulatory violations
for his role in an oil adulteration scandal that erupted last year. Wei, former
chairman of Cheng I Food Co (正義股份), Ting Hsin Oil and Fat Industrial Co (頂新製油實業) and Wei Chuan
Foods Corp (味全食品工業), faces up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
Also indicted was former Wei Chuan general manager Chang Chiao-hua (張教華) and former Ting
Hsin Oil and Fat general manager Chang Mei-feng (常梅峰), as well as 10 other Wei Chuan
employees.
Ting Hsin Oil and Fat, which made cooking oils marketed under the Wei
Chuan brand, was found in November last year to have used adulterated oils
obtained from Chang Chi Foodstuff Factory Co (大統長基) in its finished products.
Chang Chi used cottonseed oil and other cheap oils in its more expensive
grapeseed and olive oils, and, in some cases, used copper chlorophyllin to make
the substitutes look more like olive oil.
According to the indictment, Ting Hsin Oil and Fat manufactured 65 olive
oil and grapeseed oil products for Wei Chuan using oils supplied by Chang Chi
between 2007 and last year, generating more than NT$792 million (US$26 million)
in revenue.
Prosecutors allege that Wei and Chang were aware that they were buying
adulterated oils from Chang Chi because they were informed by their
quality-control department that Chang Chi’s oils were problematic, but insisted
that the supplier’s products continue to be purchased.
Wei and Chang have denied the charges.
Wei has been detained by prosecutors since Oct. 17 over his involvement in
a more recent edible oil scandal.
In the latest case, Ting Hsin Oil and Fat and Cheng I, another company
previously led by Wei, was found to have used oils meant for animal feed in
lard-based cooking oil products. The oils were also used by Wei Chuan in its
food products.
Wei resigned from his posts as chairman of Wei Chuan, Ting Hsin Oil and
Fat, and Cheng I — all subsidiaries of the Wei family-owned Ting Hsin
International Group — on Oct. 9 following the more recent food scare.
Structure of the Lead：
WHO- Ting Hsin
International Group executive Wei Ying-chun
WHEN- yesterday
WHAT- Wei Ying-chun was indicted
WHY- on charges
of fraud, forgery and food-related regulatory violations for his role in an oil
adulteration scandal that erupted last year.
WHERE-not given
HOW-not given
Keywords：
1. executive ：總裁
2. indicted：被起訴
3. forgery ：偽造品
4. convicted：定罪
5. adulterated ：摻假
6. deny：否認
7. charges：指控
8. prosecutors ：檢察官
9. resign：辭職
10. subsidiaries ：子公司
