Brazilian State
Legislators Face
Criminal Charges
About half of 70 Rio de
Janeiro state
legislators have been
accused of crimes
ranging from money
embezzlement to murder,
local media reported
Saturday.
Among the 33 deputies
being accused, 14 were
charged with embezzling
the money destined for
staff payment by the
state's Legislative
Assembly, the O Estado
de Sao Paulo newspaper
reported.
Other cases include
alleged involvement of a
lawmaker with militias
that rule impoverished
communities in Rio.
Another legislator was
charged with murder.
Earlier this week,
former police chief
Alvaro Lins, now a Rio
state congressman, was
arrested for allegedly
allowing the smuggling
and the use of illegal
slot machines while in
office.
Lins was charged with
money laundering,
corruption and
facilitating contraband,
according to federal
police.
However, the Legislative
Assembly voted for the
release of Lins, who
enjoys parliamentary
immunity rights. Lins
was freed on Friday.
The assembly has
indicted only two of the
33 legislator suspects
since its current
legislative term began
in 2007.
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