A woman in Taiwan has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison after allegedly posing as a medium for the Buddhist goddess Guanyin and tricking two sisters into handing over NT$9.218 million (about RM2.7 million).
The Penghu woman, identified as Wu, met the sisters in March 2023 while working as a home cleaner. During their conversations, she learned that the sisters were devoted followers of Guanyin.
According to the court ruling, Wu began claiming the following month that she was a “medium for Guanyin” and could help protect the sisters’ family members from misfortune and disaster.
She allegedly told the sisters they should follow Guanyin’s “hearing suffering and rescuing those in distress” mission by making donations for purposes including building temples and homes.
Between April 2023 and March 2025, the sisters reportedly transferred a total of NT$9.218 million (about RM2.7 million) to Wu.
The court heard that Wu spent the money, while the alleged scheme only came to light after the sisters’ relatives noticed something suspicious.
The judge said Wu had exploited the sisters’ kindness and religious faith, repeatedly fabricating stories about misfortunes involving herself, other people and relatives to persuade them to hand over money.
When the sisters told her they could no longer afford the payments, Wu allegedly encouraged them to borrow money from others so they could continue making donations.
The judge found that her actions left the sisters in financial and emotional distress.
Although Wu admitted to the offences, she had not reached a settlement with the sisters or compensated them at the time of sentencing.
Taking into account her motive, purpose, method and the amount involved, the court convicted her of two counts of fraud involving property.
She was sentenced to three years for one charge and one year for the other, with a combined sentence of three years and six months.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the mobile phone used in the offences and NT$9.218 million (about RM2.7 million) in criminal proceeds.
The ruling is subject to appeal.
