Businessmen rushed to deliver expensive jewelry and cardboard boxes stuffed with cash to the tree-canopied mansion of Taiwan's top leader to secure valuable political favors.

Top-flight chefs prepared exotic dishes to tempt the palate — and win the allegiance — of his wife.

Those are some of the allegations emerging from a months-long corruption probe into the activities of Taiwan's former president, Chen Shui-bian. While the probe is continuing, it reached a climax of sorts Dec. 12, when prosecutors indicted the 57-year-old Chen on charges of embezzlement and laundering ill-gotten bribes.

Chen's wife, together with 13 other family members and close associates, were also indicted in the case.