Times keep getting harder for Taiwanese leader Chen Shui-bian and his family, and that could lead him to roil the Taiwan Straits.

On Friday, prosecutors said they would file corruption charges against Chen’s wife in an ongoing probe into misuse of about $450,000 from a special budget.

This case has been simmering for four months, and has led to large-scale street protests in Taiwan calling for Chen’s removal. Chen still has 20 months left in his four-year second term.

Chen's son-in-law was indicted in June for alleged insider trading.

Faced with the turmoil, Chen has been making noises in recent days about pushing ahead with his pro-independence agenda. That could help him rally his supporters. But it would undoubtedly worsen tensions with mainland China, and strain ties with Washington.