RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian Federal Police announced on Monday that they concluded an investigation on President Michel Temer and other high-profile politicians in Brazil, finding evidence that they committed crimes.
The investigation was carried against several high-profile members of the president's party, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB). According to the Federal Police, the group includes Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha, Government Secretary Wellington Moreira Franco, former Ministers Geddel Vieira Lima and Henrique Eduardo Alves and former Head of the House of Representatives Eduardo Cunha.
Cunha has been in jail since last year for other corruption accusations. Lima was under house arrest until last week, when the Federal Police found 51 million reals (16 million U.S. dollars) in cash in an apartment linked to him. After that, he was transferred to a regular jail.
According to the Federal Police, Temer and his allies maintained an "organization aimed at obtaining illicit advantages." The police concluded that the group, including Temer, committed several crimes -- corruption, bribe-taking, money laundering, fraud in public bidding processes and capital flight.
Temer denied all accusations. His office released a statement saying the president "does not participate and has never participated in any criminal organization" or acted to obtain illicit advantages of any kind.
"President Temer regrets that nonsensical insinuations, aimed at tainting his honor and public image, are leaked to the press before due analysis of the justice system," the presidential office stated.
