Taiwanese former actor Lee Wei turns from witness to suspect in murder investigation

Taiwanese former actor-singer Lee Wei and his wife, surnamed Chien, are suspects in the murder of a woman linked to a Buddhist group they followed.

According to United Daily News, the 44-year-old was questioned as a witness by the prosecutors for the fourth time and his wife for the second on Monday (Feb 24), before being named as suspects.

Their home was also searched.

Focus Taiwan reported that Lee Wei was released on NT$300,000 (S$12,000) bail and Chien on NT$150,000.

In July 2024, police found a woman surnamed Tsai with no vital signs at a first-floor property in Siwei Road, Taipei, where a Buddhist group she was a member of gathered for meetings.

An autopsy determined Tsai died of rhabdomyolysis, a condition where muscle breaks down and releases toxic compounds into the bloodstream, potentially causing kidney damage.

CCTV footage allegedly showed Lee Wei along with the Buddhist group's chief executive surnamed Wu, a woman surnamed Chiang and the victim going to a restaurant for a religious study session on July 24.

Lee Wei, Wu and Chiang were then allegedly seen on the footage pushing Tsai's body back to the Siwei Road flat in a trolley and dumping it there without calling the authorities.

Tsai was an accountant for the religious group, and after her death, her bank accounts were reportedly emptied of over NT$2 million.

Previously, the Taiwan Taipei District Prosecutor's Office named 11 other suspects, and several — including the Buddhist group's spiritual leader surnamed Wang — have been in custody since January.

Lee Wei made his debut in 2000 as part of the pop duo Wewe and also acted in idol dramas such as Kiss of the Toast (2001, also known as Toast Boy's Kiss) and My Lucky Star (2007).

According to Taiwanese media, he was mainly working in China in recent years but left showbiz when Covid-19 hit, focusing on Buddhism instead.

drimac@asiaone.com

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