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Brazilian President Michel Temer accused of bribery by ex-President Dilma Rousseff

By Andrew V. Pestano
Michel Temer, president of Brazil, seen here addressing the 71st session of the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 20, has been accused of taking a bribe by his ousted predecessor, Dilma Rousseff. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI
Michel Temer, president of Brazil, seen here addressing the 71st session of the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 20, has been accused of taking a bribe by his ousted predecessor, Dilma Rousseff. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI | License Photo

BRASILIA, Brazil, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The former president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, has accused President Michel Temer, who replaced her, of taking a $295,000 bribe.

Rousseff's lawyers on Thursday presented evidence they said proved the bribe payment occurred during a corruption investigation Rousseff is facing.

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Rousseff is accused of taking the bribe, but her lawyers said documents filed showed the bribe was transferred directly into the general campaign finance fund of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, to which Temer belongs.

Rousseff's lawyers said Temer's personal campaign fund received a $295,000 check after the initial payment was made to the political party, Notícias R7 reports.

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Brazil's top electoral court has been investigating whether illegal funds were used during Rousseff's 2014 re-election campaign. If the court rules the illegal funds were used, her Workers Party electoral victory would be reversed.

Brazil's Federal Senate on Aug. 31 voted 61-20 in favor of removing Rousseff from the presidency over accusations she broke budget laws. Temer was then formally declared president after serving as acting president.

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Rousseff was accused of covering up budget deficits by taking out unauthorized loans from state banks and of spending money without congressional approval during the 2014 presidential campaign. Temer has also been linked to corruption over the Petrobras scandal, in which Brazilian Federal Police said politicians and companies moved over $3.9 billion in what police term as "atypical" financial transactions.

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