Court overturns convictions against Lula da Silva for Lava Jato 4:59

(CNN Spanish) -- Brazil's Supreme Federal Court on Wednesday sentenced former president and senator Fernando Collor de Mello to eight years and ten months in prison after finding him guilty of passive corruption and money laundering, the court said in a statement.

According to the information released by the authorities, the sentence is related to the investigation of the Lava Jato case and comes after it was determined that Collor de Mello received 20 million reais (almost US $ 4 million at the current exchange rate) to irregularly make viable contracts with the State in exchange for political support.

  • Lawyer explains the effects of the annulment of Lula da Silva's convictions in the Lava Jato case

The tribunal found that Collor de Mello, as a former leader of the Brazilian Labor Party (PTB, for its acronym in Portuguese) was responsible for political directives to BR Distribuidora, a subsidiary of the state-owned Petrobras, and that he received that money through undue advantages in contracts of the company.

According to the court, it was found that, as part of this financial scheme, Collor received at least 40 deposits in bank accounts that were in his name.

The defense of Collor de Mello, president of Brazil between 1990 and 1992, has rejected the accusations against his client.

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Collor de Mello will remain free while he appeals the sentence.

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