The Brazilian Federal Police concluded its investigation on a kickback scheme in the port industry, and it reported that Brazil's president Michel Temer and other ten people are responsible for crimes of active and passive corruption, money laundering and criminal organization.
The lead investigator solicited the immediate arrest of four of them, among them a close friend of the presidents, Colonel João Baptista Lima Filho. The police also requested to freeze the assets of all indicted individuals, including the president.
Supreme Court Justice Luís Roberto Barroso received the police report. Only the Federal State Attorney is allowed to indict the suspects, in this case.
The group also includes the president's daughter Maristela Temer, his former aide Rodrigo Rocha Loures, the Colonel João Baptista Filho and wife Maria Rita Fratezi, both close friends of President Temer.
The investigation started in 2017 to find out if Temer received through Lima Filho kickbacks in exchange of the redaction of an executive order that would benefit companies in the Santos seaport.
The order signed by Temer allowed extending from 25 to 35 years the term for seaport concession and lease contracts signed after 1993.
Attorneys for Temer and Rocha Loures said that they still haven't seen the Federal Police report, and therefore couldn't comment.
Lima Filho's defense team said they were "dismayed" with the warrant for his client's arrest. Fratezi's lawyer said that her actions "never gave any reason to be arrested."
Maristela Temer's lawyer didn't reply requests for comment.
Translated by NATASHA MADOV
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