Taiwan's former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je faces his appeal starting with the money trail, and the biggest risk now falls on his party rather than on him alone.

• The High Court is starting the appeal with the political donation case, not the Core Pacific land deal everyone expected.
• Ko was sentenced to 17 years, including taking bribes, misusing donations through a company he controlled, and diverting foundation money to pay campaign staff.
• His accountant switched to a guilty plea, which turns the case into a fight over who kept the books and who gave the orders.
• One of the convictions cannot be appealed further, so if it stands, Ko could be back behind bars as early as next year.
• The Taiwan People's Party is down to about 6% support and is trapped: defending Ko alienates swing voters, distancing from him angers his base.

Outlook: The appeal runs straight through the final stretch of the 2026 local elections, keeping the party tied to Ko's legal fate.