Update Aug. 30, 12:35 p.m.
Officials from Agency Against Corruption and Taipei District Prosecutor's Office jointly searched Ko's residence for four hours. They took Ko in for further questioning, per TVBS News.
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Prosecutors raided the residence of former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) on Friday (Aug. 30) as part of their investigation into the Core Pacific City (CPC) corruption scandal.
Ko was added to the list of defendants in May, accused of involvement in the alleged irregularities surrounding the expansion of CPC's floor area ratio. The Taipei City Council's CPC ratio irregularity investigation team (CPCRIIT) has been probing the matter, which saw the floor area ratio increase from 392% to 840% during Ko's time as mayor, per CNA.
The CPCRIIT interviewed Ko's former deputy mayor, Peng Chen-sheng (彭振聲), on Monday, and the two councilors leading the investigation, Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) and Kuomintang’s (KMT) Yu Shu-hui (游淑慧), said that Peng admitted the expansion was initiated at Ko's direction, per CNA.
Ko recently responded to allegations made by former DPP Legislator Kao Chia-yu (高嘉瑜) and Core Pacific Group Chair Shen Ching-ching (沈慶京) regarding members of his Taipei City administration taking bribes. Ko denied any knowledge of Shen's allegation but admitted to knowing Shen and accepting his invitation to sing at Tao Zhu Yin Yuan after his presidential election defeat, per CNA.
The investigation into CPC's floor area ratio has uncovered irregular activities involving KMT Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇) and CPC, including NT$40 million (US$125,205) in bank account transfers.
Prosecutors have requested the Taipei District Court to detain Shen, Ying, and Ying's aid Wu Shun-min (吳順民). CPC Chair Chen Yu-kun (陳玉坤) was released on NT$12 million bail, Ying's office manager Wang Tsun-kan (王尊侃) on NT$5 million bail, and Ying's aid Chen Chia-min (陳佳敏) on NT$2 million bail.
