Taipei - Taiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian Wednesday admitted that his wife had wired abroad 2 million US dollars, in the latest twist in a snowballing money laundering scandal implicating Chen and his family.

"My wife told me (in January) she still had close to 2 million US dollars in ABN Amro Bank in Singapore that had not been frozen," Chen said after he a court hearing about his alleged role in the scandal.

Chen previously admitted on August 14 that his wife, Wu Shu-chen, told him in January she had wired 21 million US dollars abroad without his knowledge. At that time, Chen mentioned nothing about the additional 2 million dollars.

The 21-million-dollar fund was frozen by Swiss judicial authorities, who suspected that it was laundered money transferred to the Swiss bank accounts of Chen's son, Chen Chih-chung, and daughter-in-law, Huang Jui-ching, from Singapore to the Cayman Islands.

Chen stressed Wednesday after he learned that his wife still had 2 million dollars not frozen in Singapore, "I then asked her to donate the sum for use in Taiwan's diplomatic work and other public affairs."

He said his wife later donated the 2 million dollars to a pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party leader, who "set up four bank accounts" in the US to facilitate fund transfer. He refused to name the party leader.

Chen claimed the 2 million dollars, like the 21 million dollars already frozen, were not laundered money or illegal funds, but were left over from campaign funds for the 2000 and 2004 presidential election.

Chen stepped down as president in May after serving two terms from 2000. He was succeeded by Ma Ying-jeou of the Nationalist Party.