Ex-Taiwan Presidential Candidate Ko Wen-je Jailed for 17 Years

Ko Wen-je arrives at court in Taipei on March 26.

Photographer: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images

Ko Wen-je, the former Taipei mayor who ran a high-profile, outsider campaign for president in 2024, was convicted of graft-related charges and sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison, the semi-official Central News Agency reported, citing a court ruling on Thursday.

Ko, 66, was sentenced by the Taipei District Court after being convicted of bribery and corruption charges linked to a real estate development project and other cases, CNA said. The court ruled that Ko be deprived of his civil rights for six years, preventing him from running for the presidency in 2028.