FALLEN IDOL

Brazil’s Ex-Prez Lula in Corruption Bust

Inquiry into oil kickbacks.

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is in custody as part of a fraud investigation into state oil company Petrobras, after his house was raided Friday by federal agents. Lula has denied any allegations of corruption, but officials say they have evidence he received illicit benefits from Petrobras. A police statement said, “There is evidence that the crimes enriched him and financed electoral campaigns and the treasury of his political group.” The long-running anti-corruption and money-laundering probe has been dubbed Operation Car Wash. To date, 33 search warrants and 11 detention warrants have been carried out by 200 federal police agents in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Bahia. The headquarters of Lula’s institute in Sao Paulo, his home, and the property of his wife, Marisa, have all been searched and targeted, police said. Officials claim most of the crimes took place during the time Lula was president of Brazil, from 2003 to 2010.