In response to media reports, the United Nations report stated that Taiwan is a “fraudulent money laundering center.” However, the Investigation Bureau of the Republic of China clarified that upon reviewing the original United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, it did not specifically mention Taiwan as a fraudulent money laundering center.
The Investigation Bureau of the Republic of China pointed out that the full text of the UNODC’s April 2025 “Inflection Point” report did not state that Taiwan is a fraudulent money laundering center. The 94-page report focuses on the global impact of the Southeast Asian fraud industry, underground finance, and illegal online markets.
The report highlighted that in recent years, Southeast Asia, particularly countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, has rapidly become a major hub for online fraud, using virtual currencies for cross-border money laundering. While Taiwan was mentioned 26 times in the report, it did not identify Taiwan as a fraudulent money laundering center explicitly.
The report also mentioned China 102 times, Cambodia 86 times, Myanmar 88 times, the Philippines 71 times, Thailand 63 times, Japan 46 times, and Laos 35 times. None of these mentions labeled Taiwan as a fraudulent money laundering center.
The Investigation Bureau of the Republic of China continues to monitor and address cases related to the report. While the report referenced four cases involving Taiwan, it did not provide specific details to identify the cases clearly. Therefore, the Bureau is working to understand these cases further for appropriate actions.
Despite the mention of gangs like “Hongmen,” “Fuhuahui,” and “14K” in the report, the Investigation Bureau found no relevant cases involving these gangs. However, they have handled several cases related to other criminal organizations involved in fraud, online gambling, and money laundering.
The Taiwanese Legislative Yuan passed the Anti-Fraud Amendment Act in July 2024, and the Executive Yuan implemented the “New Generation Anti-Fraud Strategy Action Plan 2.0” on January 1, 2025. These measures align with the recommendations in the UN report, focusing on upgrading criminal investigation techniques, enhancing international intelligence cooperation, and strengthening financial supervision.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime stated in the report that its content is not officially edited or confirmed and does not represent UNODC’s official stance or policy. Nevertheless, the Investigation Bureau of the Republic of China values the report’s insights and will continue to investigate telecommunication fraud and money laundering groups within the framework of the Executive Yuan’s “anti-fraud” strategy.