TAIPEI - FORMER Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian's treasurer has been detained for her suspected role in a money laundering scandal implicating Mr Chen and his family, a court official said Friday.
Ms Chen Cheng-hui, who was a presidential office treasurer during the ex-leader's 2000-2008 time in office, was taken into custody late on Thursday, the official said.
She was named a defendant in the case after Taiwanese authorities received information from Singapore on her suspected involvement, local media said.
Taiwan has sought assistance from Switzerland, Singapore and reportedly Hong Kong in the probe into the money laundering claims against the former first family.
Her detention came after prosecutors on Thursday searched the office, residence and bank safes of Mr Chen Shui-bian, his daughter and several others.
The ex-president, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and brother-in-law have all been named as defendants in the case.
According to Taiwanese prosecutors, some US$21 million (S$29.87 million) was sent to Swiss bank accounts belonging to Mr Chen's daughter-in-law in 2007 and was used to set up a business registered in the Cayman Islands for suspected money laundering.
The ex-president has admitted his wife wired US$20 million abroad from his past campaign funds but said she did so without his knowledge.
He has denied money laundering.
Ms Chen, who left office in May, is already being investigated for allegedly embezzling NT$14.8 million in special expenses while the president and his wife is on trial in the same case. -- AFP
