DPP lawmaker Lin I-chin released on bail in suspected corruption case

Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) and five subordinates were released on bail on Thursday morning, as prosecutors pursue the arrest of Lin's service center director for suspected corruption.

Investigators from the Tainan District Prosecutors Office searched Lin's legislative office in Taipei and her constituency service center in Tainan on Wednesday. They later questioned 19 individuals including Lin for the suspected embezzlement of publicly-funded salaries of legislative assistants.

Lin was released on bail of NT$1 million (US$31,291) for suspected violations of the Anti-Corruption Act and document forgery. The lawmaker is also not allowed to leave Taiwan.

Five other individuals were also released on bail. Identified only by their surnames, Liu (劉) was given bail of NT$100,000, Chang (張) NT$70,000, Su (蘇) NT$50,000, and Huang (黃) and Wu (吳) NT$30,000, respectively.

Prosecutors have also applied to detain and hold incommunicado the director of Lin's service center in Tainan, surnamed Huang (黃), as they believe Huang may attempt to collude with other suspects, destroy evidence or evade justice.

Of the 19 questioned individuals, 15 were considered suspects and four were witnesses, according to Tainan prosecutors.

Most of those questioned were Lin's assistants or workers in the lawmaker's constituency service center, they said.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday morning, the DPP lawmaker told her supporters that "no matter what the reason for being investigated is -- whether it is a misunderstanding or a leak from someone with good intentions -- as a representative of the Legislative Yuan, I will set a good example and cooperate with the judicial investigation to clarify the case."

Lin, 54, has been a member of the Legislative Yuan representing the 4th electoral district in Tainan since 2020.

The DPP politician defeated Kuomintang (KMT) rival Lin Yen-chu (林燕祝) in 2020 and Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教), who stood as an independent candidate in the election, in 2024.