Taipei prosecutors yesterday searched the offices of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Hsueh-sheng (陳雪生) over allegations he lobbied on behalf of a company that funded one of his assistants.
The operation, including searches at his offices in Taipei and Lienchiang County (Matsu), continued until about 6pm, with Chen, his younger brother, Chen Hsueh-huai (陳雪懷), and 25 other people summoned for questioning.
Sources said the case involves Kin Hsing Marine Co, a shipping company owned by the family of KMT-affiliated Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co chairman Yang Cheng-wu (楊鎮浯).
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
From 2004 to 2020, the company secured more than NT$870 million (US$27.31 million) in oil transportation contracts from CPC Corp, Taiwan, but later faced penalties for contract violations, the sources said.
Sources said investigators suspect Chen Hsueh-sheng of helping the company resolve a contract dispute, and suspect the legislator of using his position to pressure CPC.
Yang was serving as Kinmen County commissioner at the time.
Photo:Taipei Times
Investigators also suspect that Chen Hsueh-sheng used relatives and associates to fraudulently claim government-funded aide expenses and accepted improper benefits in the form of assistants provided by companies, the sources said.
Prosecutors are investigating the case on suspicion of violations of the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) and other offenses, sources said.
Chen Hsueh-sheng served two terms as Lienchiang County commissioner and has served in the legislature since 2012.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus chief executive Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said that searching the Legislative Yuan is extremely serious and that the authorities would notify the legislature of such an operation.
He described Chen Hsueh-sheng as a “big brother” figure who has been friendly toward lawmakers across party lines.
Stressing that the case remains under investigation, Chuang said the DPP’s position is clear: Regardless of which political party is involved or how senior an individual involved is, the authorities should investigate without favor or prejudice.
The DPP would not comment on cases that are still under investigation, he added.
During the current legislative term, six lawmakers from the ruling and opposition camps have been indicted on corruption charges.
Another six KMT lawmakers have been reported to prosecutors, indicted or named as defendants in cases involving alleged violations of the Anti-Infiltration Act, document forgery and leaking secrets.
Meanwhile, seven KMT lawmakers and three DPP lawmakers have been indicted on assault charges stemming from physical altercations during proceedings in the Legislative Yuan.
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