Taiwan Taichung District Prosecutors Office (“the Office”) has investigated the case of defendant Hung ○ Chien, male, born in 2003 (hereinafter referred to as “Defendant Hung”) for allegedly violating the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act, and has initiated a public prosecution against Defendant Hung upon completion of the investigation. The explanation is as follows:

I. Investigation units:

Prosecutor KUO Kui of the Office directed the Telecommunications Investigation Corps of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Nantou County Police Department Criminal Investigation Corps, Yunlin County Police Department Criminal Investigation Corps and Taipei City Police Department Daan Precinct to carry out a joint investigation.

II. Investigation process

In December 2024, the Office learned the event that seven victims had been defrauded, had their sexual images recorded and disseminated, and had filed complaints. Prosecutor KUO Kui was immediately assigned to form a special task force to expand the investigation. After reviewing Defendant Hung’s financial account information and the IP address of his social media account X, on May 14, 2025, police, armed with a search warrant issued by Taiwan Taichung District Court (hereinafter referred to as “Taichung District Court”) and an arrest warrant issued by the prosecutor, conducted a search and arrest at Defendant Hung’s residence located at Xinyi District, Taipei City. One mobile phone, one USB flash drive (containing 1484 sexual images), one laptop (containing 154 sexual images), three Google accounts, a Google Drive (containing 5135 sexual images), and a MEGA Drive (containing 145 sexual images) were seized on the spot. Defendant Hung voluntarily returned NTD125,000 of his illicit gains. The prosecutor, believing he was at risk of conspiring with co-offenders or witnesses, applied to Taichung District Court for his detention and holding incommunicado, and the application was granted. After questioning 40 victims and related witnesses, the prosecutor concluded the investigation and initiated a public prosecution with Taichung District Court on the grounds of the evidence obtained.

III. Brief facts of the crime

While studying at a domestic university (from which he has already graduated in June 2025), Defendant Hung committed the following offenses to satisfy his personal desires and to sell adult and juvenile sexual images for profit:

1. Self-recorded sexual images: Starting in 2024, Defendant Hung sought out adult men and juvenile netizens on Instagram and dating apps, pretended to be a woman to chat with them, and then used a pre-prepared video script and voice changer software to make synchronized speech and induce the adult men and juveniles to create sexual images during the video calls. Defendant Hung then recorded the video call process. There are total 289 recorded sexual images of adult men and 32 of juveniles.
2. Disseminating and selling sexual images, and reproducing those recorded by others: Starting in 2022, Defendant Hung established an account on the social media X, recruiting netizens to join his Telegram group. Within the group, he posted a catalog of sexual images he had purchased and exchanged, selling 203 sexual images of adult men and juveniles at prices ranging from NTD200 to NTD2500 each. Furthermore, in 2023 he began to illegally disseminate, sell, and reproduce those sexual images he had purchased and exchanged on Google Drive (1339 sexual images of adult men and 127 of juveniles), MEGA Drive (131 of adult men and 14 of juveniles), USB flash drive (317 of adult men and 36 of juveniles), and laptop (154 of adult men).

IV. Relating Laws

Defendant Hung has committed the offenses prescribed in the laws: Article 319-2 Paragraph 1 and Article 319-3 of Criminal Code—disseminating, displaying publicly, selling and reproducing the sexual images of others recorded against the their will with intent to gain profit; Article 112 Paragraph 1 of The Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act and Article 41 of Personal Data Protection Act—illegal collection of the (juveniles’) personal data (by an adult purposely); Article 36 Paragraphs 1 and 3 of Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (“the Act”) —reproducing sexual videos of juveniles and manufacturing the same by fraudulent means, and Article 38 of the Act—disseminating, displaying publicly or selling sexual images of juveniles with intent to gain profit.

V. Demand a penalty

Since 2022, Defendant Hung has recorded 289 sexual images of adult men and 32 of juveniles, disseminated and sold 203 of adult men and juveniles, and possessed a large number of other reproduced sexual images. A total of 6,918 sexual images have been seized. The number of victims is large, and the crime is serious. Defendant Hung also sold the above-mentioned sexual images, which, through the anonymity and rapid dissemination of the Internet, further amplified the extent of their dissemination, causing permanent and indelible harm to the victims. He has committed extremely heinous crimes, fully disregarding the law. It is recommended that the court impose a heavy sentence.

VI. The Office’s appeal

In contemporary society, male victims of sexual images receive relatively little attention, making it an easily overlooked segment, and the widespread use of social media and messaging apps has accelerated the spread of such sexual images. Having placed great importance on the safety of children and juveniles and the prevention of sexual violence, the Office urges the public not to disseminate or broadcast others' sexual images. Moreover, to protect victims and effectively combat similar offenses, any juveniles or adult men who have been recorded in similar circumstances are encouraged to contact the Office by phone or in writing. The Office will handle such cases as quickly as possible so as to investigate and prosecute them strictly in order to safeguard our social order and the safety of children and juveniles.