Brazil judge orders corruption probe into a third of Temer's cabinet

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS | Tue Apr 11, 2017 | 9:31pm EDT

Brazil judge orders corruption probe into a third of Temer's cabinet

By Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu | BRASILIA

A Supreme Court justice dealt President Michel Temer and Brazil's political elite a heavy blow on Tuesday by ordering investigations into eight cabinet ministers and dozens of lawmakers allegedly linked to the country's biggest corruption scandal.

The list of names under investigation released by Justice Edson Fachin read like a Who's Who of Brazilian politics, tarnishing past statesmen and potential presidential candidates alike.

The list, whose contents had been subject to furious speculation and a number of leaks, became public when Fachin lifted the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of construction company Odebrecht [ODBES.UL], which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes.

In Sao Paulo, residents banged pots and pans in protest against political corruption, while in the capital Brasilia deputies left a session in the lower house earlier in the day as news of the list began to break.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-politics-probes-idUSKBN17D2KB

[Judi Lynn]

1. Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Orders Probe into Ministers

04/11/2017 - 20H46

Brazilian Supreme Court judge orders probe into nine ministers, among dozens of other politicians, O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported Tuesday.

The accusations in Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot's list are based on a deluge of testimony given in connection with plea bargains struck with 77 former executives of the giant Odebrecht construction firm, which was at the heart of the Lava Jato Operation ( Car Wash).

The 108 names included nine ministers in President Michel Temer's government, three state governors, 29 senators and 42 members of the lower house of Congress. Among the lawmakers were the speakers of the upper and lower houses.

The former Odebrecht employees, including ex-CEO Marcelo Odebrecht, have confessed to systemic bribery of politicians in exchange for inflated contracts and favorable legislation in Congress.

Translated by AZAHARA MARTÍN

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/brazil/2017/04/1874763-brazilian-supreme-court-judge-orders-probe-into-nine-ministers.shtml

(Short article, no more at link.)