Brazil’s federal police on Tuesday raided the offices of people close to several prominent senators in the latest phase of a sweeping, three-year corruption probe, according to authorities and local media.
The police in a statement said 14 search and seizure warrants were issued by the Supreme Court based on information provided by executives of engineering conglomerate Odebrecht SA [ODBES.UL] in plea bargain deals tied to the graft probe,.
According to the statement, the raids were carried out in the cities of Brasília, Maceió, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador.
Neither the police nor prosecutors have provided details on the targets.
Globo News TV said the investigation targeted people closely associated with Senate President Eunício Oliveira and Senators Renan Calheiros, Valdir Raupp and Humberto Costa.
Oliveira, who is a key ally of President Michel Temer in his efforts to pass fiscal reforms, denied receiving illegal donations in his 2014 campaign for governor of Ceará, a northeastern state.
“The senator is convinced the truth will prevail,” a statement issued by his lawyer said, commenting on the morning police raids.
Senator Costa in a statement also said that he was confident that the raids would corroborate his defence. (Reuters/NAN)
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