Top Taiwanese chemist cleared on corruption charges

A picture of Wong Chi Huey

Source: © Sam Yeh/Staff/Getty Images

Allegations of insider trading and corruption led to Wong Chi-huey resigning as head of the nation’s academy

Wong Chi-huey, the former president of Academia Sinica, the national academy in Taiwan, along with Michael Chang, chairman of OBI Pharma, have been cleared of corruption charges. However, the decision can be appealed and taken to a higher court.

Wong and Chang were indicted a year ago. Wong was accused of accepting shares in OBI Pharma, a start-up biotech company, in exchange for helping Chang obtain access to information from Academia Sinica on enzyme synthesis techniques. But the Shilin District Court acquitted the two men on 28 December 2018.