Brazil to press more graft charges against ex-President Lula Inacio

Rio de Janeiro: In more trouble for former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the country's federal authorities have now decided to file new charges against him.

According to Federal Police, Lula has been charged with passive corruption in connection with a case involving bribes paid by the Odebrecht construction company for him to rent an apartment and buy property.

Efe news reported on Tuesday the Federal Police, in the same case, has also filed charges for money laundering against six other people, including Lula's wife, his former finance minister and his attorney.

Lula was already the target of three indictments for corruption.

One of the accusations refers to alleged influence-peddling to benefit the former head of state's son, Luiz Claudio Lula da Silva.

The grafts took place in 2013-2015, two years after the end of Lula's second term, but prosecutors maintain that he continued to wield influence within the administration of protege and successor Dilma Rousseff.

Lula's son received $740,000 from companies that sought an extension of favourable tax treatment for Brazil's auto industry, according to the Attorney General's Office.

The new charges filed on Monday come within the framework of the investigation into the huge corruption network that diverted funds from state-run oil company Petrobras.

The charges filed by the police would now be reviewed by the Attorney General's Office, which may then ask the Justice Ministry to bring the seven accused to trial. 

With IANS inputs