The office said in a statement that it “confirms the constitution as persons of interest of Luís Filipe Vieira and of Fernando Tavares” in the investigation, in which senior judge Rui Rangel, a former candidate for president of Benfica, and his ex-wife, Fátima Galante, are also persons of interest.
The office of the attorney-general stated that “the inquiry at this moment has 12 declared persons of interests.”
Operation Lex involves the investigation of suspected bribery, money laundering, and tax fraud.
Because of Rangel’s status as a judge, the questioning is to be carried out by a member of the Supreme Court.
Earlier this week, it was claimed that the chairman of Portuguese top-flight football club, Sporting, Bruno de Carvalho, is being investigated for influence peddling, with the investigation conducted by the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action of Lisbon.
Monday’s edition of newspaper “i” citing the Attorney-General’s office, reported that Carvalho and another board member at the club are both under investigation.
“The suspected crimes are of influence peddling, and no defendants have yet been identified,” the newspaper reported, noting that “the investigation is being conducted by the Department of Criminal Investigation and Action in Lisbon,” and no final report has been published.
In 2017 Carvalho was also investigated by the authorities following an anonymous complaint about “alleged threats to referees.”