Chen Shui-Bian (Switzerland chapter)

According to the September 4, 2015 news release by the Supreme Prosecutors Office of Taiwan China, the Swiss authorities returned US$6,429,018 in corruption proceeds. (Source:  Press release of the Supreme Prosecutors Office, issued September 4, 2015)

In April the prosecutors' office had issued a statement noting that "The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland has ruled the decision to return the illegal proceeds to Taiwan at the amount of US$6,746,840 [ ] acquired by the former ROC President Mr. Chen Shui-bian as bribes from the merging case of Yuanta with Fuhua during the Second Financial Reform Case and remitted to Switzerland.  [  ] With the assistance of the Swiss judicial authorities, the bank accounts held by Chen Chih-chung and Huang Jui-ching at Bounchon of Merrill Lynch Bank (Suisse) SA and Galahad Management of RBS Coutts Bank AG, and the accounts of Avallo Ltd. and Bravo International Holdings, two companies controlled by Chen Chih-chung and Huang Jui-ching at Wegelin and Co. and Private Bankers, were frozen accordingly. [  ]  Among the said accounts, the two accounts of Bouchon and Galahad held the illegal proceeds acquired from the Lungtan Corruption Case, the Nangang Corruption Case, the State Affairs Confidential Funds Case, and their relevant money laundering cases, totaled as approximately US$22,614,850. [  ]  On April 1, 2014, Federal Prosecutors Office of Swiss granted its order to remit the assets under Avallo and Bravo accounts at the amount of US$6,746,840 (approximately equivalent to NT$200 million) to the designated account of the SID. But Chen Chih-chung et al. appealed to Swiss Federal Criminal Court, which in January 2015 ruled out the objection appeal. Chen Chih-chung et al, then appealed to the Supreme Court of Switzerland. On April 28, 2015, the SID received the notification from Federal Prosecutors Office stating that the Supreme Court of Switzerland has dismissed the appeal of Chen and the assets of US$6,746,840 will be remitted to the designated account of the SID accordingly. The remaining assets under Avallo and Bravo accounts should be continuously frozen awaiting the further requests from Taiwan." (Source:  News release of the Supreme Prosecutors Office, April 29, 2015 on the Chen Shui Bian case)

According to a December 7, 2010 press release by the Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation, "The Attorney General of Switzerland has returned some CHF 20 million [$18,899,500 of the $34,964,000 total frozen] to the Supreme Prosecutors Office of Taiwan, part of the money that was deposited in Switzerland by the former Taiwanese President, Chen Shui-bian, who was recently convicted of corruption in his homeland."  The same press release noted that as part of the Swiss criminal proceedings against Chen's son and daughter-in-law and in response to a request for mutual assistance filed by Taiwan, some CHF 37 million had been seized.  Swiss investigation on the origin of the remainder of the assets is continuing.  (Source:  The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation Press Release, "CHF 20 million returned to Taiwan," December 7, 2010.)