Timeline of Brazil’s “Car Wash” scandal

Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered investigations into eight ministers
in President Michel Temer’s cabinet and dozens of lawmakers allegedly
linked to the country’s biggest ever corruption scandal

Michel Temer

Mar 2014 Operation LavaJato (Car Wash) begins as routine money laundering probe of servicestation in Brasilia

Investigation leads to arrest of Paulo Roberto Costa (above),former director of state-run oil giant Petrobras. Costa testifies that company channelled dirty money toruling Workers’ Party and its allies

Mar 2015: Supreme Court approves inquiry into 34 senior politicians suspected of involvement with Petrobras scheme

Jun: Brazilian construction boss Marcelo Odebrecht(right) arrested afterhis company isfound to have bribedofficials to win inflatedcontracts from Petrobras

Mar 2016: Police question formerpresident Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,who held office from 2003-2010 when much ofcorruption is said to have taken place. Prosecutorsaccuse Lula oftaking bribes inform of real estate

May: Congress votes to suspend Lula’s successor,Dilma Rousseff,for manipulating government accounts. Temer takes over but is caught up inscandal as severalof his ministers are forced to resign

Jan 2017: Confessions by 77O debrecht executives provide floodof new allegations and reveal firmpaid bribes for contracts in severalother countries. Odebrecht expected to pay at least $3.5bn in settlement with Brazil, Switzerland and U.S.

Apr 11: Supreme Court opens probes against 108 politicians,including Temer’s chief of staff Eliseu Padilha and ministers of foreign affairs, agriculture and trade. Further 201 investigations,targeting figures such as Lulaand Rousseff, to be determinedby lower courts

Source: Wire agencies
Pictures: AP, Getty Images