According to the first verdict in a series of corruption cases directed at the former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, his wife was sentenced on Thursday to three years of imprisonment for tax evasion.

Pojaman Shinawatra, aged 51, and her stepbrother, Bhanapot Damapong, were given three years behind bars, while her secretary received a two-year prison term.

Accompanied by her husband, Pojaman Shinawatra was released on $149,000 bail. Furthermore, her attorneys said that they would appeal the verdict, as reported by the New York Times.

The case was part of a legal move against Thaksin Shinawatra and his partners, conducted by his antagonists in their efforts to immobilize him in the courts after he was deposed in a military coup in September 2006. In spite of the fact that he is out of authority, the ex-premier continues to be the most popular politician in Thailand and his adherents have power over the civilian government that took office when the military rule backed off at the beginning of this year.

Four corruption lawsuits have been filed against Thaksin Shinawatra, two against his wife and three against two of his children. In addition to this, other cases against the members of the family are still being arranged. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court said it would hear a case against the former Prime Minister concerning various soft loans he is believed to have directed to the government of Myanmar while still being prime minister, in order to promote his family’s telecommunications business, according to the New York Times.

Pojaman Shinawatra was convicted together with her secretary and her brother of conspiring to evade millions of dollars in taxes eleven years ago by transferring shares in the family business to one of the family’s maids, although they afterwards deposited the money in Thaksin Shinawatra’s bank account.