Impeached Deputy Eduardo Cunha was arrested today (Oct. 19) in Brasilia, under Operation Car Wash. The preventive detention of the former lower house speaker was ordered by Judge Sergio Moro, in charge of Operation Car Wash cases in the first instance.

The Federal Police confirmed the preventive detention and said Cunha will be arrested in Curitiba city, under responsibility of the justice of Paraná state, where suspects are being sentenced for the actions related to Car Wash.

Before being impeached by the House of Representatives on September 12, Cunha faced at least four other inquiries and criminal cases at the Supreme Court (STF) for corruption and money laundering. In the case, the Supreme Court held that there was evidence that the then deputy received $1.57 million in kickbacks over Petrobras drillship contracts.

With the loss of the jurisdictional prerogative rights granted to congressmen, proceedings against him related in Operation Car Wash were sent to Judge Sergio Moro.

In his sentence, Moro pointed out the alleged secret bank accounts in Switzerland, which was repeatedly denied by Cunha. "While we cannot fully track back the money and totally identify its current location, there is a risk of dissipation of the product of crime, thus derailing its recovery."

Moro has also presented as argument the great risk of escape, since Cunha could use illegal resources saved abroad to facilitate his own escape and refuge abroad.