Brazil's Lula faces new corruption charges

New charges of corruption were brought on Monday against Brazilian former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and 10 other people, including businessman Marcelo Odebrecht.

Federal prosecutors charged Lula, Odebrecht and the others with "corruption, money laundering and influence peddling." They were accused of using the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) to fund the Angolan government in exchange for contracts, said the Agencia Brasil news agency.

The leading Brazilian firm Odebrecht Construction was hired to work in Angola after the Angolan government received funds from the BNDES, prosecutors said.

The contracts with Angola involved bribes of up to 30 million reais (around 9.4 million U.S. dollars), prosecutors said.

Lula would use his position to ensure the BNDES and other lending agencies granted funds to Angola, as part of a plan to boost Brazil's exports, prosecutors said.

They said the money laundering charges stemmed from transactions made through Exergia Brasil, a company founded in 2009 by Lula's nephew Taiguara Rodrigues dos Santos who is also facing a criminal lawsuit.

Prosecutorsa also accused Lula of receiving illicit payments for lectures he delivered at the request of Odebrecht.

These charges could keep Lula behind the bars for more than 30 years, they added.

Lula was considering another run for the presidency when his troubles with the law first surfaced in March, after police searched his home and put him into custody for questioning.

He has denied the accusations, saying prosecutors have been politically motivated to derail his comeback. Endi