Eduardo Cunha

Eduardo Cunha Full Name: Eduardo Cosentino da Cunha Origin: Rio de Janeiro Occupation: President of the Chamber of Deputies (1 February 2015 - 7 July 2016) Goals: Impeach Dilma Rousseff (succeeded) Cover up his corrupt deeds (failed) Crimes: Corruption Tax evasion Money laundering Embezzlement Obstruction of justice Homophobia Abuse of power Type of Villain: Corrupt politician

Eduardo Cosentino da Cunha (born 29 September 1958) is a Brazilian politician who served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from February 2015 to July 2016, when he was removed from office after being indicted in the Operation Car Wash corruption scandal. Prior to his impeachment and subsequent arrest, he was known for leading the impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff.

Indictment

Cunha was indicted in 2016 as part of Operation Car Wash over allegations that he took around $40 million in bribes from state-owned companies and used an evangelical church that he owned to launder money into illegal offshore accounts in order to avoid paying tax. The indictment did not prevent Cunha from filing impeachment proceedings against President Rousseff, however he was ultimately suspended by the Brazilian supreme court in July 2016 over allegations that he was using his position to obstruct the investigation.

In September 2016, the lower house voted to impeach Cunha, who was removed from office. On 19 October, Cunha was arrested on charges of corruption, tax evasion and money laundering. On 30 March 2017, he was convicted on all charges and sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison.

Two additional charges have since been levelled against Cunha, accusing him of taking $5 million in bribes from business contracts. He also faces a civil case for illicit advantages he allegedly gave to favoured contractors in the oil company Petrobras, as well as allegations of embezzlement and living rent-free. Furthermore, Cunha has been implicated in the JBS scandal after a recording emerged of President Michel Temer instructing Joesley Batista to continue paying bribes to Cunha, and police suspect he may have more offshore accounts that have not yet been seized.

Views

Cunha is a conservative Evangelical Christian, similar to current president Jair Bolsonaro. As such, he seeks to criminalize abortion and increase restrictions on marijuana, and is extremely anti-gay, supporting legal restrictions on homosexuality such as the banning of same-sex marriage.