Brazilian Federal Police open investigation into alleged PSL (Social Liberal Party) front company scheme in Minas Gerais.

247 - The alleged corruption scheme involving the PSL party in Minas Gerais, which supposedly involves the Minister of Tourism, Marcelo Álvaro Antônio, will begin to be investigated by the Federal Police.

After the delivery of testimonies from people heard and documents by the Public Ministry, the Federal Police opened an investigation this Wednesday (27) to investigate the scheme of dummy candidates of the party. According to the police, the Minister of Tourism should be heard.

The PSL's "orange" candidate scandal triggered a government crisis that led to the resignation of Minister Gustavo Bebianno from the General Secretariat of the Presidency. The Minister of Tourism is trying to remain in his position, but his situation is becoming increasingly complicated.

O BuzzFeed had access to recordings. Recordings made by Cleuzenir Barbosa, a retired teacher and candidate for state representative for the PSL party in Minas Gerais, show that she contacted Minister Marcelo Álvaro's advisors in September of last year, during the 2018 campaign, to report an extortion and money laundering scheme. The recordings contradict the minister's statements, in which he said he only became aware of the case in November. 

According to Folha de S. Paulo, the Minister of Tourism, the most voted federal deputy in Minas Gerais, sponsored a scheme involving four sham candidacies, all funded with public money from the PSL party. He was the party's president in Minas Gerais and had the power to decide which candidacies would be launched.

According to the report, the four sham candidates received R$ 279 in public campaign funds from the party, placing them among the 20 who received the most money from the party nationwide.

Of that amount, at least R$ 85 was allocated to four companies belonging to advisors, relatives, or business partners of advisors of Bolsonaro's current minister. He denies any wrongdoing.