By KHT Staff. Image shows one of the city’s two Airlee branches.
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung health officials are investigating two branches of the Airlee aesthetic clinic chain after the company announced full refunds amid a suspected hidden-camera scandal.
The wider case has led to the detention of three people linked to Airlee Group Co Ltd (愛爾麗集團), including chairman Chang Ju-shan (常如山), after prosecutors said a recording device was found inside a smoke detector at the company’s Banciao District (板橋區) branch in New Taipei City. Prosecutors said the suspects are being investigated over alleged privacy violations and possible breaches of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童及少年性剝削防制條例), while customers have organized to seek refunds and compensation.
Airlee Group Co Ltd (愛爾麗集團) is one of Taiwan’s best-known medical aesthetics chains. According to local media reports, Chang Ju-shan (常如山) founded the business in the early 2000s, starting with beauty and spa services before expanding into medical aesthetics clinics, equipment distribution, health checks, postpartum care, dentistry, pain treatment clinics, biotechnology, and real estate.
The Liberty Times reported that Kaohsiung’s Department of Health (高雄市政府衛生局) sent staff to the city’s two Airlee (愛爾麗) branches on Thursday to coordinate the handling of consumer refund requests.
The department said it would continue reviewing medical records related to treatments such as body sculpting, laser procedures, and Botox injections. Officials said they are checking whether the clinics collected advance payments, charged more than legally permitted, or created unauthorized fee items.
If violations are confirmed, the clinics could be fined between NT$50,000 and NT$250,000 under Article 22 of the Medical Care Act (醫療法), the department said. The clinics would also be ordered to return any overcharged fees to patients within a set period.
Airlee announced a full refund policy after the suspected hidden-camera case involving the company drew public attention. The Kaohsiung investigation focuses on refund and fee disputes at its local branches, rather than the criminal aspects of the alleged filming case.
