Brazil’s Federal Police have opened an investigation into the eldest son of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over allegations of influence peddling and corruption, according to single-source reporting by CNN Brasil.
The inquiry was authorized on July 30 by Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice André Mendonça, following a request from the police. The request was filed with the court on July 24. Mendonça also oversees the investigation into alleged billion-real fraud at Brazil’s National Social Security Institute (INSS), the agency that administers pensions and retirement benefits.
What Police Are Investigating
The police are examining whether Lula’s son lobbied the Health Ministry in negotiations related to authorization for the sale of medical cannabis. They also want to determine whether he acted on behalf of a company seeking contracts with a government-linked state-owned enterprise.
The case involves 3Structure It LTDA, a technology company that currently holds four contracts with the federal government worth R$55.7 million (approximately US$10 million at recent exchange rates). CNN Brasil reported that the company has received R$46.9 million in federal payments, including expenses, government commitments and invoices. That total does not necessarily represent contracts that remain active.
The police suspect that a technology-sector businessman linked to Dataprev, a federal technology company, worked with Lula’s son, businessman Antônio Camilo Antunes and businesswoman Roberta Luchsinger in efforts to secure government contracts. Antunes, known as the “INSS Careca,” is described in the report as one of the main alleged operators in the scheme involving pension and retirement-payment diversions. He is also a partner in World Cannabis, a company involved in the sale of medical cannabis.
Broader Investigation
The medical-cannabis business had already appeared in an earlier police investigation into alleged connections between Lula’s son and Antunes. The new inquiry will examine whether the lobbying benefited 3Structure It or other parties and whether any conduct amounted to a crime.
Mendonça ordered that all investigative acts be immediately added to the case before him. He also required advance notice of any removal of police officers from the investigative team.
Lula’s son denies no specific conduct in the CNN Brasil report, but his lawyer, Marco Aurélio de Carvalho, criticized the investigation. He called it a “fishing expedition,” a term used to describe a broad search for evidence aimed at finding grounds to accuse someone.
The authorization of the inquiry does not establish wrongdoing. It allows investigators to gather evidence about alleged lobbying, possible government-contract irregularities and potential links to the INSS case.