Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Pezão was arrested in the early hours of Thursday
Police in Brazil have arrested the governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Luiz Fernando Pezão.
Investigators say Mr Pezão took bribes while he was deputy governor of Rio from 2007 to 2014.
He has denied taking any illicit budget.
Mr Pezão is the most recent flesh presser to be detained as phase Operation Automotive Wash, a corruption research which has resulted in the arrest of a long record of high-rating politicians and businessmen.
The allegations relate to the time when Mr Pezão served as deputy for the then-governor of Rio, Sergio Cabral. Cabral himself is these days in prison after he was discovered in charge of cash laundering and corruption ultimate yr.
Prosecutors say Mr Pezão is suspected of taking 25m-reais-price ($6.5m; £5m) in kickbacks among 2007 and 2015.
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Brazilian TELEVISION station Gobo News confirmed reside footage of federal cops arriving on the governor’s place of dwelling, Laranjeiras Palace.
Mr Pezão, from the Brazilian Democratic Movement, has simply over a month left in workplace before being replaced via Wilson Witzel, who used to be elected remaining month.
Mr Witzel, a former federal pass judgement on, said that he was once confident justice might take its route and that the transition of power among Mr Pezão and him wouldn’t be affected.
one in every of Mr Witzel’s marketing campaign promises used to be to create an anti-corruption hotline in Rio the place citizens can air their suspicions.
Web of corruption
Rio state has been at the centre of corruption allegations with 10 state lawmakers from a wide range of events arrested three weeks ago and charged with graft.
Operation Automotive Wash started in March 2014 as an research into allegations that executives at the state oil corporate Petrobras took kickbacks from construction firms in return for awarding them contracts at inflated prices.
It has due to the fact that improved into a large probe which has resulted in most sensible politicians and a few of Brazil’s richest businessmen being jailed, including former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The inquiry has been led through Pass Judgement On Sergio Moro, who has been picked as Brazil’s subsequent justice minister via far-proper President-decide on Jair Bolsonaro.
Mr Bolsonaro. who campaigned on a promise to crack down on corruption, received remaining month’s election via a considerable margin. he will take administrative center on 1 January.
