Ex-aide Hsiao Hsu-tsen faces embezzlement probe over missing million-dollar cash

A political dispute over a million-dollar cash donation has intensified, with lawyer Huang Ti-ying accusing former presidential aide Hsiao Hsu-tsen of potential embezzlement and breach of trust. The controversy centers on a sum of money photographed in cash in 2023, a year before former President Ma Ying-jeou's presidential benefits officially ended.

Former National Security Council Secretary-General King Pu-tsung publicly questioned the whereabouts of the funds during a television interview. He highlighted that Hsiao Hsu-tsen's explanation of the money being for public service was contradicted by the timing of the cash handling and the fact that it was not deposited into Ma Ying-jeou's personal accounts. Hsiao had initially claimed the money was a private donation, but later changed his story, stating he was collecting donations for Ma after his presidential benefits concluded.

Huang Ti-ying asserted that King Pu-tsung's evidence, including the timeline and Ma's bank records, directly refutes Hsiao's revised claims. The discrepancy between the 2023 cash photo and the 2024 end of presidential benefits creates significant doubt. Huang stated that Hsiao's shifting narrative and the inability to account for the funds could lead to charges of embezzlement and breach of trust, carrying potential prison sentences.