According to HK01, actor Darren Wang appeared in court at 9:30 a.m., accompanied by his lawyer, though he forgot his identification. The judge allowed the hearing to proceed. At the start of the trial, Wang Talu apologized for his mistakes, citing lack of knowledge. The judge instructed him to sit down to follow proper legal procedures.
In court, Darren Wang admitted to all illegal actions, including falsifying official documents and obstructing military service.
The key issue under investigation was the amount of money Darren Wang paid to Chen Zhiming, the leader of the forgery group, to obtain fake medical results for military exemption. Chen Zhiming stated he received 2.6 million TWD, while Wang Talu claimed he paid 3.6 million TWD (over $115,000 USD) in five installments. The court is currently clarifying the discrepancy of 1 million TWD.
Lawyers argued that Darren Wang admitted wrongdoing sincerely and is currently performing community service in Taipei. They requested leniency, such as fines or a suspended sentence. The hearing lasted about 40 minutes, and Darren Wang declined to comment to the press.
The military evasion scandal using forged medical records has shaken Taiwan’s entertainment industry since February 2025. Darren Wang allegedly sought Chen Zhiming’s network to falsify medical records to avoid military service. Prosecutors later discovered that the network helped multiple celebrities using similar methods, including manipulating blood pressure tests and using stand-ins.
So far, 18 artists have been linked to the network. In the first wave, 10 artists, including Darren Wang, Daniel Chen, William, Nine Chen, Li Quan, and others, were prosecuted. The second wave involved five more, while three Gary Tang, Shi Lang, and A Da turned themselves in voluntarily.
In June, the New Taipei Prosecutor’s Office requested penalties under military service obstruction and document forgery laws for Chen Zhiming, Darren Wang, and 28 other defendants in the initial phase.
Darren Wang has emerged as a key figure in the scandal. According to blogger Ho Taiping, after paying for forged documents, Darren Wang inadvertently exposed himself when reporting Chen Zhiming for unrelated fraud. Police also discovered his past connections to organized crime, loan sharking, and debt collection.
Born in 1991, Darren Wang is known as an actor, model, and notorious socialite in Greater China’s entertainment scene. His most notable roles include Hsu Tai-yu in Our Times (2015), No More Bets (2023), Wolf Hiding (2023), and The Wolf (2020–2021).
Sources: HK01