Elephants baseball star denies accepting bribe

Chen, who earned a nickname of “Golden Warrior” for his outstanding performance, became the latest target for prosecutors' expanded investigation into the game-fixing scandal.

According to local media reports, Chen accepted a biscuit box with NT$1 million cash from his former teammate Chuang Hung-liang in 2006. Chuang has now become a key witness for the continuing probe by prosecutors who said there were at least five illegal organizations involved in the game-fixing scam.

In addition to the ring headed by Tsai Cheng-yi, alias “Windshield,” there were also two groups led by Kaohsiung-based bookies “Sis Pearl” and “Bro Fire” that had colluded with Tsai's ring to form a group with seed capital of NT$30 million.

Both “Sis Pearl” and “Bro Fire” had played the role of recruiting baseball players with the lure of cash, according to the reports.

This was the second time that local media reported about Chen's possible involvement after earlier reports surfaced on Jan. 8.

Prosecutors said they are planning to summon Chen for an interview. In additional, there are still about 10 players on the prosecutors' list of players and team officials suspected of participating in the game-fixing scams.

Chen showed up for a regular training session in southwestern Chiayi, yesterday afternoon.

In his answer to reporters, Chen acknowledged that he has been experience a “miserable time” after the reported allegation in local media earlier this month.

But he again insisted his innocence and refuted the press reports yesterday.

Chen said he knew no one belonging to the “Sis Pearl” and “Bro Fire” rings and has never met any of them before.

The prosecutors had planned to wind up the probe and formally file indictment before the upcoming long Chinese New Year holidays in February.

But sources said that the prosecutors could be forced to delay the closure of the case since more time is needed to complete the questioning of around 10 of the suspected players and members of the “Sis Pearl” and “Bro Fire” rings.

There were five illegal organizations allegedly included in the latest wave of crackdown on illegal baseball gambling.

Several players from different baseball teams were already expelled after they confessed to joining the game-fixing scams and surrendered illegal financial gains despite their steadfast denials earlier.

Chen, a pitcher and outfielder cultivated among young players from an indigenous tribe in southeastern Taitung County, was ranked with two teammates as the “Three Musketeers.” But he was rated as the player with the most brilliant performance as he took part in the most 96 games in the 2006 season, twice the number of his two teammates.

Hung Chin-he, general manager of the Brother Elephants team, said Chen has assured him of innocence. But the final verdict is still up to the result of the ongoing investigation, he said.

He conceded that it is extremely for individual sport teams to shield their players by resisting the influences from powerful illegal organizations.

But he promised full cooperation with the Ministry of Justice's Investigation Bureau (MJIB) and prosecutors to jointly crack down on the evil forces in Taiwan sports.

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