Suspects in an investigation into accounting firms and companies linked to the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) were released on bail early this morning, a day after questioning over allegations of fraud in campaign finance reporting.
Tuanmu Cheng (端木正), an accountant at Jing Hua CPA (精華會計師事務所) who was contracted by the TPP to handle financial reporting for TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) presidential bid, was released on bail of NT$1 million (US$30,945).
The amount was lowered after being initially set at NT$2 million.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Lee Wen-chuan (李文娟) — director of the marketing firm Muko (木可行銷公關), which handled events and merchandising for the Ko campaign — was released on bail of NT$1.5 million.
They have been barred from leaving the country and are to wear electronic surveillance monitors.
Both are under investigation for forgery after discrepancies were found in TPP reporting of campaign payments to marketing firms.
The party said earlier this week that mistakes were made in 17 campaign finance declarations totaling about NT$18 million.
Tuanmu’s assistant Chen Wei-hsuan (陳韋瑄) and Muko accountant Ho Ai-ting (何璦廷), who were originally called as witnesses in the case, have now been listed as suspects.
Chen was released without bail, while Ho was released on bail of NT$500,000.
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