Taiwanese actor Lee Wei. Photo from Lee’s Weibo

According to Taipei Times, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has indicted the 13 individuals on charges of causing bodily injury leading to death, complicity in causing bodily injury leading to death, and coercion.

The victim, surnamed Tsai, was found dead in a group meeting space at a property on Siwei Road in Taipei’s Daan District in July last year, after authorities received a report of a motionless woman lying on the floor. Upon arriving, police discovered Tsai’s lifeless body, which showed signs of severe bruising.

An autopsy later confirmed that Tsai had died from rhabdomyolysis, a condition that occurs when damaged muscle tissue breaks down rapidly, releasing toxins into the bloodstream. Investigators discovered that Tsai had been forced to kneel in front of a Buddha statue as a form of repentance, allegedly at the command of the religious group’s leader, Buddhism writer Wang Yun. Tsai reportedly collapsed from exhaustion after the prolonged punishment.

After she collapsed, Tsai’s body was moved by the group’s chief executive, a woman surnamed Wu, along with another woman, surnamed Chiang, and Lee. Surveillance footage showed the trio placing Tsai’s body on a trolley and transporting it from a restaurant to the group’s property, where it was left.

Chinese-language media reports suggested that Tsai had worked as an accountant for the religious group, which included many white-collar professionals.

According to The Straits Times, Wang was reportedly upset with Tsai, believing she had mishandled his finances. He allegedly ordered three other followers to force Tsai to atone for her mistakes through physical abuse, including beatings and being made to kneel and apologize to Wang.

Following Tsai’s death, her bank accounts, which contained over NT$2 million (US$60,842), were emptied.

Several suspects, including Lee, were detained during the investigation. Lee was questioned three times and, along with his wife, surnamed Chien, was initially called as a witness. However, on Feb. 24, both were named as defendants in the case. The couple was released on bail the same day, with Lee posting NT$300,000 and his wife posting NT$150,000.

Reports suggest that Lee cooperated with prosecutors and provided testimony against other suspects, which led prosecutors to request a reduction or waiver of his sentence under the Witness Protection Act.

The case is now set to be heard by the Taipei District Court.

Lee, 44, gained fame in the 2000s for his role in the drama “Toast Boy’s Kiss.” He has acted sporadically since 2015 and is said to have developed an interest in Buddhism during his time away from the spotlight.