For the Second Time, Cunha Becomes a Defendant in the Lava Jato Investigation

06/23/2016 - 10h38

The Supreme Court (STF) has made Eduardo Cunha (PMDB), the suspended President of the Congress, a defendant for the second time. He is accused of corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and misrepresentation for electoral purposes.

The STF ministers ruled unanimously in favor of the charges brought by the Federal Prosecutor General, who accuses Cunha of transferring money diverted from Petrobras contracts to secret accounts abroad. The value of the bribe - R$ 5.2 million (US$ 1.4 million).

The Lava Jato (Car Wash) chief investigator, Teori Zavascki, says that there is "robust" evidence that Cunha received the bribe to facilitate the purchase of a petroleum field in Africa by the state-owned firm and to guarantee the continuation of the illicit scheme at its directorate.

Removed from his position as head of the Congress, the PMDB leader is the target of seven legal proceedings at the STF - six of them involving Lava Jato, including one for suspicion of using his position for criminal purposes.

The new case worsens the situation of the congressman, whose permanent removal was approved by the ethics committee of the Congress. The full house is expected to vote on the motion for his permanent removal by the end of July. If approved, he will lose his privileged forum and his case will be heard by Judge Sérgio Moro.

The STF also decided to maintain Moro as the investigator of journalist Cláudia Cruz and Danielle Cunha, Mr. Cunha's wife and daughter respectively, in the case related to secret accounts in Switzerland. Cunha denies illegal activity and says that he will be absolved.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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	Alan Marques/Folhapress
	The Supreme Court has made Eduardo Cunha, the suspended President of the Congress, a defendant for the second time