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TAIPEI: Taiwan's High Court yesterday upheld a seven-year jail term and fine imposed on former president Chen Shui-bian's son-in-law for insider trading.
The ruling came a day after Mr Chen was locked up in a corruption probe and is the latest blow to the former leader's family, which has been implicated in a string of scandals.
Besides the jail term, Mr Chen's son-in-law Chao Chien-ming was fined NT$30 million (S$1.4 million) for making illegal profits of more than NT$100 million through insider trading.
He had been originally sentenced in December 2006 to six years in jail by a district court, but the High Court later increased that to seven years.
He appealed to the Supreme Court, which ordered a new hearing that began in September.
Chao said he would appeal against the latest ruling.
'I was hoping that justice would prove my innocence...I am still looking forward to a fair trial,' he told reporters.
He was sacked from the prestigious National Taiwan University Hospital following his arrest in May 2006 on the charges, and now works for a hospital in southern Taiwan.
Besides Chao, Mr Chen's wife, brother-in-law, son and daughter-in-law are currently being investigated in a separate money-laundering case.
The Chens have admitted to wiring some US$20 million (S$30 million) overseas but they have claimed that the money was leftover donations from Mr Chen's political campaigns.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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