Brazil former presidents Lula and Rousseff charged in corruption case

Brazil Photo Press | CON | Getty Images

Former Presidents of Brazil Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff talk during the 6th National Congress of the Labour Party at Sede Nacional do PT on June 01, 2017 in Brasilia, Brazil.

Brazil’s top prosecutor on Tuesday charged former Presidents Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff along with fellow Workers Party members with forming a criminal organization, the latest accusations in Brazil’s sprawling corruption scandal.

The prosecutor, Rodrigo Janot, alleged that eight members of the Workers Party, including Lula and Rousseff, committed a series of crimes involving state-owned oil firm Petrobras such as cartel formation, corruption and money laundering.

They were the first criminal charges to be leveled against Rousseff, who was impeached in 2016 for breaking budgetary laws.

The 230-page document filed with the Supreme Court accused Lula of heading the organization.

Lula’s lawyer said the law was being misused to persecute the former president.