Former presidential adviser Wu Li-pei (吳澧培) yesterday denied allegations that he tried to bribe US politicians with the US$1.91 million former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had wired him to promote Taiwan’s diplomatic relations.
Describing the allegation as “vicious” and “irresponsible,” Wu challenged the accuser to produce evidence.
Wu said that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) had made a similar claim and that groundless allegations would undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts with Washington.
“The money is still there, how did I do anything illegal with it?” he said. “Besides, why would he [Chen] want to bribe US officials given he is no longer in office?”
Wu said Chiu had no idea what he was talking about, urging Chiu to be responsible for his words and refrain from acting like a “mad dog.”
Wu, who was questioned by prosecutors on Saturday, has authorized prosecutors to check his overseas bank accounts for anything linking him to the Chen case.
Wu signed the authorization letter after being questioned by prosecutors as a witness for more than four hours about Chen’s recent revelation that his wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), had wired nearly US$2 million from her overseas bank account to “someone with great seniority” in February to promote Taiwan’s cause in the international community.
Prosecutors said that they found the former first lady remitted a total of US$1.918 million from her account at ABN AMRO Bank’s Singapore branch on Feb. 21 and Feb. 22 this year, shortly after Swiss prosecutors froze deposits, totaling US$21 million, at Swiss bank accounts of members of Chen’s family.
During an interview with the Liberty Times (Taipei Times’ sister paper) on Friday, Wu said the money wired to him went into four accounts under two different designations.
Chen revealed the remittance on Oct. 8 during a court hearing.
The hearing was held for the case of former Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau chief Yeh Sheng-mao’s (葉盛茂) concealment of information provided early this year by the international anti-money laundering organization Egmont Group about suspected money laundering by members of Chen’s family.
Wu came forward the following day to admit that he was the recipient of the money wired by the former first lady in February.
Stressing that he was the beneficiary of the money, Wu Li-pei told prosecutors that he was not helping Chen launder the cash. None of the accounts was in his name, but he had access to all the accounts, he said.
After they received Wu Li-pei’s authorization letter, prosecutors said they would review his overseas bank accounts.
Two of Chen’s aides as well as the ex-first lady’s older brother and the younger brother of one of her college classmates have been held incommunicado during the investigation.
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