Brazil’s former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and his wife and son were charged with money laundering and identity fraud in connection with real estate purchases. According to Brazil’s prosecutor, the former president used proceeds of crime to acquire real estate in Guaruja for he and his family that was destined for regular families in Brazil.  Prosecutors believe that the real estate was part of a bribery scheme to kick back benefits to, da Silva, a politically exposed person.
A spokesman for Lula da Silva admitted that he and his wife invested in the real estate but said they decided not to exercise an option to buy it entirely.
Brazil continues to undergo a massive corruption and money laundering investigation involving the state-owned oil company, Petrobras, and has implicated the current president, Dilma Rousseff. Brazilians think its a matter of time before she is ousted from power over the financial crime issues circling the government.
According to Brazilian news, the ruling party of Brazil is considering offering Lula da Silva a ministerial position to make him more immune from the charges.