A 71-year-old construction company owner in Taiwan was locked up for owing millions in labor insurance payments and only paid up after three days behind bars — a warning shot to bosses who dodge worker contributions.

• The owner of a Keelung construction firm owed more than NT$5 million in unpaid labor insurance and was detained on August 17.
• After three days in custody he handed over NT$2.2 million, agreed to pay the rest in installments, and gave up the company's hybrid car.
• Despite the firm being capitalized at NT$230 million, the car was the only asset left to seize.
• Once he learned about the debt, he moved over NT$40 million out of company accounts to third parties or drained it in cash, and refused to say where the car was.

Outlook: The seized car will be auctioned to cover part of the debt, and he stays on the hook for the installment payments or risks being detained again.