Chen Shui-bian, the former President of Taiwan who had been on trial since March for corruption, was sentenced to life in prison on Friday by a three-judge panel. The sentencing was expected, but nonetheless came as a serious blow to the political forces that Chen had led for decades in opposing the traditional ruling party of Taiwan, the Kuomintang.

Chen’s wife, Wu Shu-chen, was also convicted of corruption and sentenced to life in prison. Among other things, both Chen and his wife were accused of stealing and misusing public money from 2000 to 2008 while Chen was in office. They were both fined a total of $15 million. Under Taiwanese law, the life sentence will be automatically appealed, said Associated Press.

Chen was the first politician outside the Kuomintang to become president of Taiwan, after he helped lead a pro-democracy movement that opposed martial law and other strict measures put in place by the Kuomintang. Martial law was not lifted until 1987, and the island’s first multi-party elections held in 1996. Chen had also campaigned against the corruption that many Taiwanese saw as widespread within the Kuomintang, which retreated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war to the Communists in 1949.