Brazil Central Banker Meirelles May Face High Court Tax Probe
Written on March 13, 2010
Brazil’s Prosecutor General asked the Supreme Court to pursue an investigation into alleged tax crimes by Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles, according to the high court’s docket posted on its Web site.
The request, contained in a 105-page sealed document, was made March 5, according to the docket. Justice Joaquim Barbosa was assigned to be the investigating magistrate.
Ribamar Oliveira, a spokesman for the central bank, said late yesterday that the monetary authority wasn’t aware of the probe. He declined further comment.
Meirelles, 64, is facing an April 2 deadline to decide whether to resign his post to become eligible to compete in October elections. Earlier this year, he joined the pro- government Brazilian Democratic Movement Party. He hasn’t stated whether he plans to seek elected office free credit report and score.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wants Meirelles to serve as Cabinet Chief Dilma Rousseff’s running mate in the October presidential vote, IstoE magazine reported March 9. Agencia Estado, citing people close to the presidency it didn’t identify, reported yesterday that Meirelles is likely to run for the Senate from his home state of Goias.
Lula invited Meirelles to join his cabinet in 2004, and as a cabinet member he can only be tried by the Supreme Court.
In 2005, public prosecutors asked the Supreme Court to try Meirelles for tax evasion, a probe that was shelved in 2007. Meirelles denied any wrongdoing.
Filed in: legal.