The US is seeking to take over two properties in New York and Virginia owned by former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his wife.
The US Justice Department filed complaints on Wednesday in New York and Virginia alleging part of US$6 million paid in bribes to Chen’s wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), was used to purchase an apartment in Manhattan and a house in Keswick, Virginia. The complaints state that Yuanta Securities Co (元大證券) paid a bribe to ensure its bid to acquire additional shares in Fuhwa Financial Holding Co (復華金控) would not be blocked by authorities.
“A portion of these bribe proceeds were then transferred ... to the United States and used to purchase a condominium in Manhattan” and a house in Virginia, the complaints allege.
PHOTO: CNA
Chen and Wu were convicted last year of embezzling state funds, accepting bribes and money laundering, and sentenced to life in prison. The sentences were reduced to 20 years by an appeals court on June 11, although that verdict is being appealed by prosecutors.
Homeland Security Director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement John Morton said the complaints reflect the US’ determination not to allow itself to be abused by corrupt foreign officials.
“This serves as a warning to those ... officials who abuse their power for personal financial gain and then attempt to place those funds in the US financial system,” he said.
Chen was perplexed by the US request and urged the US judiciary to await the final court ruling on the “case of the second financial reform” before taking any action, the couple’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), said yesterday after visiting his father at the Taipei Detention Center in Tucheng (土城), Taipei County.
The former president was referring to the prosecutors’ allegation that he and his wife accepted bribes from banks in 2007 to “smooth” requirements at the time the government was implementing a second phase of financial reforms to encourage monetary institutions to merge.
Chen Chih-chung said he did not understand the US government’s “leap in thinking.”
“Maybe the US government did not have sufficient information before it made the decision,” he said. “Such a decision was arbitrary.”
Chen Chih-chung said he suspects the US government made the request based on the “second financial reform case.”
However, before Taipei District Court hands down its verdict in that case, the US could not be sure if the money used to buy the properties was dirty, he said.
The Presidential Office and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) both declined to comment yesterday. Presidential Office Spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) would not intervene in an ongoing case.
“This is a case where Department of Justice is working with Taiwan authorities ... I cannot comment on the specifics of an ongoing case,” AIT spokesperson Sheila Pasksman said.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) said the ministry respected the US judicial process and would provide any information the US requested, although it would not volunteer such information.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHIH HSIU-CHUAN
FALSE DOCUMENTS? Actor William Liao said he was ‘voluntarily cooperating’ with police after a suspect was accused of helping to produce false medical certificates Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned. The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents. Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients. As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents. The main suspect, a man surnamed
DEMOGRAPHICS: Robotics is the most promising answer to looming labor woes, the long-term care system and national contingency response, an official said Taiwan is to launch a five-year plan to boost the robotics industry in a bid to address labor shortages stemming from a declining and aging population, the Executive Yuan said yesterday. The government approved the initiative, dubbed the Smart Robotics Industry Promotion Plan, via executive order, senior officials told a post-Cabinet meeting news conference in Taipei. Taiwan’s population decline would strain the economy and the nation’s ability to care for vulnerable and elderly people, said Peter Hong (洪樂文), who heads the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Department of Engineering and Technologies. Projections show that the proportion of Taiwanese 65 or older would
Democracies must remain united in the face of a shifting geopolitical landscape, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Tuesday, while emphasizing the importance of Taiwan’s security to the world. “Taiwan’s security is essential to regional stability and to defending democratic values amid mounting authoritarianism,” Tsai said at the annual forum in the Danish capital. Noting a “new geopolitical landscape” in which global trade and security face “uncertainty and unpredictability,” Tsai said that democracies must remain united and be more committed to building up resilience together in the face of challenges. Resilience “allows us to absorb shocks, adapt under
Nvidia Corp yesterday unveiled its new high-speed interconnect technology, NVLink Fusion, with Taiwanese application-specific IC (ASIC) designers Alchip Technologies Ltd (世芯) and MediaTek Inc (聯發科) among the first to adopt the technology to help build semi-custom artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure for hyperscalers. Nvidia has opened its technology to outside users, as hyperscalers and cloud service providers are building their own cost-effective AI chips, or accelerators, used in AI servers by leveraging ASIC firms’ designing capabilities to reduce their dependence on Nvidia. Previously, NVLink technology was only available for Nvidia’s own AI platform. “NVLink Fusion opens Nvidia’s AI platform and rich ecosystem for
RSS