The prosecutor dealing with financial crimes said former Interior Minister Habib el-Adli, former Tourism Minister Zuhair Garana, former Housing Minister Ahmed el-Maghrabi and steel magnate Ahmed Ezz must be held for 15 days.
All four have denied any wrongdoing.
Suspicions of official graft helped fuel popular anger that led to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak last week. The charges are seen as a move by the army-led interim government to quell the unrest.
The move will "certainly be seen as a very positive step by the people of Egypt," said Al Jazeera's correspondent in Cairo, Ayman Mohyeldin, who added: "There's no doubt that more dirty laundry of the former regime will be aired, particularly if this case goes to court over the next few weeks."
Prosecutors filed formal charges against Maghrabi, Garana and former trade and industry minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid as anti-government protests raged last Thursday, a day before Mubarak stepped down. Rachid has also denied misconduct.
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