Even though he was released, investigators continue to look into how Lula may have benefited from an elaborate kickback scheme involving Petrobras, the state-controlled oil giant.
Meanwhile, four sports marketing executives and an unnamed major U.S. sportswear companywidely presumed to be Nike are at the center of investigations into alleged bribes and kickbacks.
Dubbed the world's most expensive road, its budget was originally slated to be $7bn but it ended up costing $13bn once kickbacks and inflated contracts were factored in.
As Mr Balko notes, Closing a rape or murder case didn't come with a potential kickback to the police department. Knocking off a mid- or low-level drug dealer did.
A finance manager with 20 years' experience in African mining says he prefers to keep procurement offshore, having uncovered " frauds and kickbacks" between staff and local suppliers in the past.