Brazil police detain Rio state speaker for questioning

Federal police are serving bench warrants against Jorge Picciani, speaker of the Rio de Janeiro State Assembly (ALERJ), and arrest warrants against five of the Rio de Janeiro State Court of Audits (TCE-RJ). They are also taking steps to freeze assets as part of the operation.

The operation involves more than 43 court warrants, most of them to be served in Rio, and others in the municipalities of Duque de Caxias and São João do Meriti in the same state. According to a Federal Police statement, the suspects are investigated for alleged embezzlement from public contracts with private businesses.

Investigators found indications that state officials received payments under the table to greenlight the use of funds from the State Court of Audits for the payment of contracts with food suppliers. The officials were allegedly paid a percentage of the contract prices.

Translated by Mayra Borges