Brazil’s Supreme Court on Tuesday found former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s ex-chief of staff guilty of corruption.
Jose Dirceu, Lula’s ex-right-hand man, was found guilty by six of the ten judges in connection with a vote-buying scheme in Congress during Lula’s first term, a court spokesman said.
Earlier seven of the justices also found the ex-president of Lula’s ruling Workers Party (PT), Jose Genoino, guilty of “active corruption”.
The two officials are among 37 former ministers, lawmakers, businessmen and bankers on trial before the Supreme Court over the scheme known as “Mensalao” [big monthly payments].
The scandal nearly cost Lula his re-election in 2006. But the 66-year-old founder and leader of the leftist PT was cleared.
None of the accused have been arrested, and none of them are in court.