Brazilian prosecutors charged political strategist Joao Santana, the architect of President Dilma Rousseff’s 2010 and 2014 election victories, and 16 others with corruption on Thursday as part of a massive graft investigation.
Santana, who was arrested in February, is accused of receiving bribes from engineering conglomerate Odebrecht in a scheme to divert funds from state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, or Petrobras, prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol told a news conference.
Santana also received bribes off contracts involving Petrobras, shipbuilder Sete Brasil and Keppel Fels, the local unit of Singapore oil rig builder Keppel Corporation Ltd , Dallagnol said.
The investigation of Santana, known as “the maker of presidents” in Latin America, has increased calls for Rousseff’s ouster even though a current attempt to impeachment her is not related to the graft probe.
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