The 33-year-old actor allegedly paid a huge sum to an illegal ring to obtain fake medical documents.
Darren Wang is best known for his 2015 film Our Times. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
Taiwanese actor Darren Wang, who is also known as Wang Ta Lu, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to dodge his mandatory military service through fraudulent means. On Tuesday, February 18, the 33-year-old actor, who is best known for his breakout role in the 2015 romantic film Our Times, was taken into custody by the Taiwanese authorities. He was later released on bail for NT$ 150,000 (which is approximately US$ 4,577) on the same day.
According to The Straits Times, Wang is suspected of working with an illegal ring that helps men evade mandatory military service. The report stated that the actor paid NT$1 million (approximately US$ 30,520) to obtain forged documents, faking a heart condition to get a medical exemption. Since the news broke out, Wang and his representatives have remained silent on the matter.
This isn’t the first time that Darren Wang has tried to avoid military service. In 2015, rumours surfaced that the actor used his enrolment at Toko University to delay his enlistment despite rarely attending classes.
As per the country’s revised law, Taiwanese men between the ages of 18 and 36 are required to complete one year of mandatory military service. Previously, the conscription period was for four months. However, in December 2022, President Tsai Ing-Wen announced that the mandatory military service would be extended to one year, beginning in 2024. Anyone found guilty of evading the duties would face five years in prison.
While deferments are allowed to those who want to pursue higher studies, all able-bodied men in Taiwan, without fail, must enlist before their 36th birthday unless legally exempted. At 33, Wang has now exceeded the maximum deferment age and is required to enlist on March 13. According to the Taipei City Government Department of Compulsory Military Service, if the actor fails to report for his duty, he will be prosecuted under military law.
Wang was among the 12 other men who were brought in for questioning in connection with an illegal ring that is suspected of helping those who wanted to dodge their mandatory service. The alleged mastermind behind the operation is a man surnamed Chen, who, along with two agents of the scheme, was arrested back in January. The trio had no medical background, which made the investigating authorities believe that medical professionals were also involved in this ring.
As reported by the Taiwanese media, the Ministry of the Interior has also revealed that 80 other individuals are currently under investigation for attempting to evade mandatory military service using similar fraudulent methods between 2020 and 2024. However, they have mentioned that Wang was not among them.
