TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Kaohsiung District Court banned Huang Shao-ting (黃紹庭) from leaving Taiwan on Thursday (Nov. 28) hours after prosecutors charged the KMT city councilor with corruption.

The court ordered Huang to remain in the country for eight months during a hearing in which prosecutors said he was a flight risk and could collude with others, per Yahoo News. Huang’s bail was set at NT$1.5 million (US$46,123), and he was ordered to check in with a case officer twice weekly.

Prosecutors charged Huang, his wife, and 13 others with corruption-related offenses earlier on Thursday. Huang is accused of illegally claiming around NT$14.55 million in public funds over three terms as a Kaohsiung City councilor by falsely reporting the number of assistants he employed.

Prosecutors said one of the individuals Huang claimed was his assistant was his wife. Huang is also accused of claiming more than his assistants were paid and pocketing the difference.

Huang was seen hurriedly leaving his home in Kaohsiung in late September hours before prosecutors searched the premises as part of the investigation. It was later discovered he had boarded a flight to Xiamen, China.

Huang said the trip was pre-planned. He was arrested upon his return to Taiwan and initially denied wrongdoing.

Prosecutors said Huang has since confessed his crimes, returned the embezzled funds, and named others involved in the case. They said they would ask Huang to be treated with leniency because he had cooperated.