Sixteen mayors were arrested along with nine lawyers and a judge in a sting that followed an eight-month investigation into the alleged scheme, which authorities said netted more than $100 million in public funds earmarked for Brazilian retirees, O Globo reported Thursday.

Corruption scandals involving politicians in Brazil are not uncommon and have dogged even reform-minded administrations -- such as that of Brazilian President Lula da Silva' title='Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva' class='tpstyle'>Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose own administration was implicated in a bribery scandal involving federal deputies in 2006.