TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei City Councilor Chen Yi-chung (陳怡君) was detained incommunicado early Thursday as part of an investigation into alleged fraudulent claims of assistant fees.

Authorities questioned seven suspects Wednesday before requesting Chen’s detention and that of her office director, a woman surnamed Chang (張). Several others were released on bail, per CNA.

Investigators allege that since 2019, Chen falsely claimed more than NT$3 million (US$91,300) in assistant salaries by listing her younger brother, sister-in-law, Chang’s elder sister, and a former staff member surnamed Ho (何) as figurehead employees.

Further investigations suggest Chen directed Chang and a city council research office director, surnamed Yang (楊), to handle bookkeeping, withdraw salaries, and manage bank accounts for these fraudulent assistants. She is suspected of violating the Anti-Corruption Act by using her position for financial gain.

Ho was granted bail at NT$500,000, while Chen’s younger brother and his wife, surnamed Hung (洪), were each released on NT$10,000 bail. Chang’s elder sister was granted NT$300,000 bail, and Yang was released on NT$240,000 bail.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Chen represents the Zhongshan and Datong districts in Taipei. She narrowly won a seat in the 2018 Taipei City Council elections and was re-elected in 2022.