Lula, who was no longer in the presidency when the suspected illegal practices happened, was accused of having used its influence over the subsequent Workers Party government to help Saab win the tender for 36 jets worth around $5.6 billion.
In exchange for its help, prosecutors said Lula's son Luis Claudio Lula da Silva -- who is also accused in the probe -- was paid 2.5 million reais ($740,000) by Marcondes & Mautoni, a company who assists foreign firms doing business in Brazil and who prosecutors said worked for Saab.
Brazil's former president is already a defendant in three criminal probes linked to the so-called Car Wash investigation into large-scale corruption at state-controlled oil company Petrobras.
Lula's lawyers denied any illegal participation of the former president or his son in the process. (end of excerpt)
Click here for the full story, on the Reuters website.
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from Defense Aerospace - Press releases http://ift.tt/2gDFQeO
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