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🇧🇷 Brazil /Crime & Justice

Brazil Police Seek New Probe into President's Son for Influence Peddling

From Folha de S.Paulo · () Portuguese

Translated from Portuguese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • Brazil's Federal Police requested the opening of a third investigation into businessman Fábio Luís Lula da Silva, known as Lulinha, for alleged influence peddling.
  • The investigation aims to determine if Lulinha used his connections to benefit businessmen seeking government contracts, including alleged travel expenses paid by one entrepreneur.
  • Lulinha's defense denies any wrongdoing, suggesting political motivations behind the inquiries, while President Lula maintains his son will face no special treatment.

Brazil's Federal Police have requested the Supreme Federal Court (STF) to open a third investigation into Fábio Luís Lula da Silva, widely known as Lulinha, the son of President Lula. The new inquiry focuses on suspicions of influence peddling. Details regarding the specific allegations and the assigned reporting minister at the STF have not yet been disclosed. Two previous investigations are currently overseen by Justice André Mendonça.

Lula stated that his son will not have privileges and will need to prove his innocence in the process.

— President LulaPresident Lula's stance on the investigations involving his son, Fábio Luís Lula da Silva.

The first authorized investigation by Mendonça concerns Lulinha's alleged attempts to influence the Ministry of Health and the Presidency's office to gain approval for the commercialization of medicinal cannabis. Lulinha is involved in the cannabis sector alongside businesswoman Roberta Luchsinger and lobbyist Antonio Carlos Camilo Antunes. The Federal Police's request cites communications between the targets of the investigation and public officials, including individuals in President Lula's office. Lulinha's defense has denied any irregularities, suggesting political motivations behind the investigation. President Lula has stated that his son will not receive preferential treatment and must prove his innocence.

The Ministry of Health has stated it has never had a contract with World Cannabis, a company linked to the lobbyist involved in the cannabis investigation, and has therefore made no public fund transfers to them. The second ongoing investigation by the Federal Police seeks to determine if Lulinha acted to benefit an entrepreneur and secure contracts with Dataprev, a state-owned company linked to the Ministry of Management and Innovation. According to the Federal Police report, entrepreneur Cleber Ribas de Oliveira, a partner in a company called 3STRUCTURE IT, allegedly financed at least one trip for Lulinha in exchange for government favors.

The Ministry of Health stated that it never had a contract with the cannabis import company linked to Careca do INSS, World Cannabis.

— Ministry of HealthThe Ministry of Health clarifies its relationship with a company involved in one of the investigations into Lulinha.

Lulinha's lawyers told the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo that the investigation constitutes "fishing for evidence" and that their client did not act to benefit anyone within the government. Dataprev has confirmed it has no contracts with 3STRUCTURE IT and emphasized its commitment to transparency and cooperation with oversight and investigative bodies. Folha has been unable to contact Cleber Ribas de Oliveira's defense.

The investigation was a 'fishing expedition' and that he did not act to benefit anyone in the government.

— Lulinha's lawyersLulinha's defense team dismisses the investigation as baseless and denies any improper actions by their client.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Folha de S.Paulo in Portuguese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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