Operation Car Wash (Operação Lava Jato)
Operation Car Wash (Portuguese: Operação Lava Jato) was a major anti-corruption investigation launched in Brazil in 2014. It initially focused on money laundering at a gas station in Brasília (hence the nickname “Car Wash”), but it expanded into a massive probe uncovering systemic corruption involving Petrobras, the state-controlled oil company, and numerous politicians and business leaders.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) - president of Brazil - was one of the most prominent figures investigated and convicted during the Lava Jato operation.
Receiving bribes from construction companies (notably OAS and Odebrecht) in exchange for facilitating contracts with Petrobras.
Accepting renovations to a beachfront apartment (triplex in Guarujá) and a rural property (* sítio in Atibaia*) as indirect kickbacks.
These cases led to criminal convictions in 2017 and 2018, resulting in: A 12-year prison sentence for the triplex case (later reduced). A separate conviction for the Atibaia case.
Lula was imprisoned in April 2018 and spent about 580 days in jail, during which time he was barred from running in the 2018 presidential election (which Jair Bolsonaro won).
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) - president of Brazil - was one of the most prominent figures investigated and convicted during the Lava Jato operation.
Receiving bribes from construction companies (notably OAS and Odebrecht) in exchange for facilitating contracts with Petrobras.
Accepting renovations to a beachfront apartment (triplex in Guarujá) and a rural property (* sítio in Atibaia*) as indirect kickbacks.
These cases led to criminal convictions in 2017 and 2018, resulting in: A 12-year prison sentence for the triplex case (later reduced). A separate conviction for the Atibaia case.
Lula was imprisoned in April 2018 and spent about 580 days in jail, during which time he was barred from running in the 2018 presidential election (which Jair Bolsonaro won).
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