A federal judge in the federal district accepted a denouncement against ex-president Michel Temer (MDB), making him a defendant for the sixth time. He will respond to charges of a criminal organization and embarrassment to the investigation.
Former ministers Eliseu Padilha (Civil House) e Moreira Franco (Mining and Energy) were also accused of corruption.
The denouncement, received on May 3, accused Temer of making businessman Joesley Batista (J&F group) pay undue advantages to ex-president of the Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Cunha (MDB-RJ).
Accusations against the ex-president and the ex-ministers were made in 2017, by the attorney-general Rodrigo Janot, and had its proceedings barred after a vote in the House - as Temer was president, the denunciation needed the authorization of the deputies to advance.
When Temer, Moreira, and Padilha left office, the case returned to the first instance, and the MPF ratified the complaint in April.
The dialogues between Temer and Joesley were revealed two years ago and were part of the J & F group's award-winning deal. In the recording made by Joesley during a meeting with Temer, the businessman said that he was trying to maintain a good relationship with Cunha, who was already in prison at the time.
During the conversation, Temer uttered the phrase that later became known: "You have to keep it there, see?"
In the opinion of the Public Prosecutor's Office, the conversation shows that Temer gave consent to Cunha's payment of bribes.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon