Fraud probe targets Brazil president's ally

Brazilian police said they launched a major search for evidence today in a big fraud probe targeting an ex-minister of President Michel Temer.

It was the latest in a long series of investigations that threaten to destabilize the leader of Latin America's biggest economy. He has denied wrongdoing.

Today's searches targeted Geddel Vieira Lima, who served as a top adviser in Temer's cabinet before resigning in November over allegations of influence-peddling.

Police said in a statement they had evidence of corruption and money-laundering linked to loans made to big companies by a public bank that Vieira Lima formerly headed.

It said they found telephone messages exchanged between Vieira Lima and another high-profile corruption suspect, former congressional speaker Eduardo Cunha.
 

Federal police searched properties in four Brazilian cities, it said.