CONFLICTS

Brazil impeachment leader arrested in corruption probe

Associated Press
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FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2016 file photo, Brazil's former President of the Chamber of Deputies Eduardo Cunha takes a break during the presentation of his defense in the Chamber of Deputies, in Brasilia, Brazil. The man who led efforts to impeach former President Dilma Rousseff was arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 in Brazil’s sprawling corruption probe at state-run oil giant Petrobras. The arrest made in the capital of Brasilia was confirmed by the office of Judge Sergio Moro, who chairs many investigations of the scandal. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File) (The Associated Press)

Brazil's former Lower House President Eduardo Cunha, center, is escorted by federal police to an airplane during his transfer to Curitiba at the police hangar airport in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. The powerful former speaker of Brazil's lower house who spearheaded the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff was arrested Wednesday as part of a sprawling graft probe involving state oil giant Petrobras. (Michael Melo/Metropoles via AP) (The Associated Press)

The man who spearheaded the ouster of former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has been arrested as part of a sprawling probe into corruption at state-run oil giant Petrobras.

The office of Judge Sergio Moro confirms Wednesday's arrest of former Congressman Eduardo Cunha. He's accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes — accusations he denies.

Cunha began the process of impeaching Rousseff in December when he was speaker of the lower house of Congress. That led to a vote to remove her from office in August.

Cunha resigned as speaker in July and was stripped of his congressional seat in September.