TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former DPP Legislator Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀) was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Tuesday for bribery and fraudulent assistant expense claims totaling over NT$8.74 million (US$276,000), while his wife Hsu Hui-yu (徐慧諭) received a 4.5-year sentence.

Prosecutors said Chen abused his power as a legislator between January 2016 and July 2023 to advance or amend bills and hold coordination meetings and interpellations that favored specific businesses, per CNA. In return, he received illicit gains totaling more than NT$4.63 million.

They also found that from Feb. 1, 2012, to Nov. 30, 2022, Chen overstated the salaries of several publicly funded assistants. The assistants then withdrew the excess funds in cash for office petty cash or as directed by Chen and Hsu, fraudulently obtaining more than NT$4.11 million, according to CNA.

In August last year, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office indicted 16 people, including Chen and Hsu. Charges included accepting bribes and improper benefits in the course of official duties under the Anti-Corruption Act, fraudulently obtaining property by abusing official position, breaches of the Money Laundering Control Act, and misappropriation of public funds.

Prosecutors said they will decide whether to appeal after reviewing the written judgment.