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Brazil prosecutors charge former Lula chief of staff with corruption
10:14 CAT | 02 May 2017
Reuters (File photo) / Jose Dirceu, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's chief of staff, attends a session of the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry in Curitiba, Brazil, August 31, 2015. Brazilian police on August 3 arrested former government minister Dirceu, one of the most senior members of the ruling Workers' Party to be detained so far in the corruption scandal engulfing state-run oil company Petrobras.
Brazilian prosecutors on Tuesday said they levelled new corruption charges against a one-time chief of staff for former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is already serving long jail sentences on prior graft convictions.
Prosecutors accused Jose Dirceu of taking 2.4 million reais ($755,880) in bribes from two engineering firms – UTC Engenharia SA and Engevix Engenharia SA.
The money was allegedly used for public relations efforts to improve Dirceu’s image before, during and after a 2012 trial, in which he was convicted in a widespread scheme of making monthly payments to congressmen to win support for legislation.
In addition, over the past year, courts have sentenced him in two separate trials to a collective 32 years in jail on corruption, money-laundering and conspiracy charges. They stemmed from a wide-ranging probe of graft at state-owned oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, known as Petrobras.
Engevix did not respond to request for comment, and a lawyer for Dirceu was not immediately available for reaction.
A UTC Engenharia spokesman said the company would have nothing to say on the matter.
Source: Reuters
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