Brazil’s former national president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife are likely to face charges relating to the Petrobras corruption scandal, according to Reuters.
That’s after federal police in Sao Paulo on Friday recommended the pair be prosecuted over irregularities concerning a beachfront property in Guaruja, Sao Paulo state. They are alleged to have got the property – and valuable renovation work on it – as a gift from engineering firm OAS, one of the major players in the Petrobras affair.
The former president, known widely as Lula, denies the claims. He came under the microscope as part of the bribes-for-inflated-contracts graft scheme that has embroiled state oil firm Petrobras for two years.
Political kickbacks were part of the scheme, buying the compliance or cooperation of people in office, particularly those in Lula’s Workers Party.
Lula is also accused of interfering in the Petrobras probe.
