A Taipei tech chairman was ordered to pay $32,500 after a Taiwan court ruled that his LINE Messenger chat records proved an affair that seriously violated spousal rights.
In an age where screenshots are increasingly used as direct evidence, this proved to be the case for a chairman of a Taipei-based technology company. His LINE Messenger chats with his lover were used as evidence in a civil trial brought by her heartbroken yet determined husband.
The chat logs reportedly included sexual innuendo, explicit familiarity, and private conversations between the clandestine partners. Among the digital evidence were also a selfie of the chairman and a copy of his business card, turning what were once private messages into salient public proof.
The plaintiff, the husband, initially sought NT$1 million in damages, citing emotional distress. The court eventually ruled that the affair had seriously violated spousal rights, settling the case for NT$800,000, roughly equivalent to $32,500.
In late 2024, the chairman pursued a woman he knew was already married. According to ETtoday, the two quickly developed a close relationship, dating frequently and spending numerous nights together. By January 2025, the affair had intensified. They reportedly had sexual intercourse on several occasions, and the chairman arranged for her to travel abroad with him. Throughout this period, the woman remained legally married to her husband, whom she had wed in 2022.
During the legal proceedings, the chairman attempted to defend himself with two main arguments. He claimed that spousal rights are not legally protected and also argued that he was not the person involved in the leaked chat logs.
The judges rejected both claims. They ruled that the relationship went far beyond that of ordinary friends and constituted a clear violation of the husband’s marital rights. The court also acknowledged that the husband suffered genuine and significant emotional distress as a result of the affair.
In its ruling, the court made it clear that the legal duty of fidelity within a marriage still stands. It stressed that marriage remains protected under civil law, regardless of claims made by the defendant.
The case is significant in Taiwan as it highlights how the legal landscape has evolved since adultery was decriminalized. While extramarital affairs no longer carry criminal penalties, civil remedies remain firmly in place. Spouses can still sue for damages and seek compensation for emotional harm.
Another key takeaway is the growing role of technology in legal disputes. Messaging apps such as LINE are increasingly being used as primary evidence in courtrooms. The case sends a broader signal that digital intimacy leaves a lasting legal footprint, one that can be used to prove a breach of marital rights.
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