Friday 14 November 2008

Taipei court upholds 7-year term for Chen’s son-in-law


Taiwan’s High Court on Thursday upheld a seven-year jail term and fine imposed on former president Chen Shui-bian’s son-in-law for insider trading, officials said.

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Guanyu said...

Taipei court upholds 7-year term for Chen’s son-in-law

AFP in Taipei
13 November 2008

Taiwan’s High Court on Thursday upheld a seven-year jail term and fine imposed on former president Chen Shui-bian’s son-in-law for insider trading, officials said.

The ruling came a day after Chen was locked up in a corruption probe and is the latest blow to the island’s former first family, who have been implicated in a string of scandals.

As well as the jail term, Chen’s son-in-law Chao Chien-ming was also fined 30 million Taiwan dollars (HK$709,000) for making illegal profits of more than 100 million Taiwan dollars through insider trading.

He was originally sentenced in December 2006 to six years in jail by a district court, but the High Court later increased that to seven years.

Chao appealed to the Supreme Court, which ordered a new hearing that began in September. He can still appeal the latest verdict.

Chao was sacked from the prestigious National Taiwan University Hospital following his arrest in May 2006 on the charges, and now works for a hospital in southern Taiwan.

For his part Chen, the first former Taiwan leader ever to be arrested, is yet to be formally charged. He is accused of embezzling around 15 million Taiwan dollars while in office, as well as money laundering, taking bribes and forging documents.

He retired in May after eight years in office marred by allegations of scandal and sleaze.