The president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee was arrested on Thursday amid an investigation into a vote-buying scheme to bring the Olympics to Rio de Janeiro.
Carlos Nuzman, who is also an honorary International Olympic Committee member, was held for questioning last month by Brazilian and French authorities. They said he was a central figure in channeling at least $2 million to Lamine Diack, a former IOC member from Senegal who helped secure votes when Rio was picked in 2009 by the IOC.
Brazilian authorities have said the behind-the-scenes dealings to win the vote amounted to a 香蕉视频直播渃riminal organization,香蕉视频直播� led by Sergio Cabral, the former governor of Rio de Janeiro who has been jailed on a different corruption conviction.
Securing the games for Rio was just the first step in the massive scheme, according to Nuzman香蕉视频直播檚 arrest order. The Olympics led to massive public investment in infrastructure projects and services contracts, opening a pipeline of money that was used to reward friends and allies and pay bribes.
Authorities said Nuzman would be held because investigators found he tried to hamper the investigation by regularizing assets likely gained with illicit money. About two weeks after being held for questioning, Nuzman amended his tax declaration to add about $600,000 in income, the order said.
香蕉视频直播淗e clearly acted to obstruct the investigation,香蕉视频直播� said the order, adding that the lack of a clear origin of the extra money 香蕉视频直播渋ndicated it was illicit.香蕉视频直播�
Leonardo Gryner, director-general of operations for the organizing committee, was also arrested on Thursday.
Investigators said they also recovered a key they believed was for a safe in Switzerland containing gold.
香蕉视频直播淲hile Olympic medallists chased their dreams of gold medals, leaders of the Brazilian Olympic Committee stashed their gold in Switzerland,香蕉视频直播� prosecutor Fabiana Schenider said.
Nuzman香蕉视频直播檚 lawyer, Nelio Machado, told news portal G1 that being detained like this was 香蕉视频直播渉arsh and unusual香蕉视频直播� and denied there had been a vote-buying scheme.
In Nuzman香蕉视频直播檚 last 10 years as Brazilian Olympic Committee president, his net worth increased 457 per cent, according to investigators. The 75-year-old Nuzman was one of the most prominent figures in bringing the games to Rio.
Prosecutors previously laid out a scheme in which Nuzman arranged for businessman Arthur Cesar de Menezes Soares Filho香蕉视频直播檚 company to pay Lamine Diack $2 million into an account in the name of Diack香蕉视频直播檚 son, Papa Massata Diack. On Thursday, prosecutors said they have since uncovered emails showing the younger Diack asked for more money and received it.
Schenider said she was surprised by the attempts to obstruct the investigation but that the machinations would not thwart justice.
香蕉视频直播淲e are showing that Brazil is no longer a paradise for corrupt people, for thieves,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e are getting to people who never thought they would have to answer for their actions.香蕉视频直播�
In a statement, the IOC said it was fully co-operating with the investigation and conducting its own probe.
香蕉视频直播淕iven the new facts, the IOC ethics commission may consider provisional measures while respecting Mr. Nuzman香蕉视频直播檚 right to be heard,香蕉视频直播� said the statement, which did not offer more details.
Peter Prengaman And Sarah Dilorenzo, The Associated Press
