After the fall

摘要

He has principles and convictions, read the citation for Demostenes Torres in Epoca's list of the 100 most influential Brazilians of 2009. The senator from the state of Goias, continued the magazine, was not just another trafficker of political influence. Around the same time, police investigating illegal gambling were wiretapping Carlos Augusto Ramos (known as Carlin-hos Cachoeira or Charlie Waterfall), a businessman thought to have ties to Brazil's renowned numbers racket, the jogo do bicho (animal game; see box on next page). Among his frequent callers was Mr Torres, who chatted about planned laws and projects, and asked for money. Mr Torres insists Mr Cachoeira is just a close friend. So he will presumably visit Mr Cachoeira in jail, where he is being held on suspicion of money-laundering, corruption and running an illegal gambling network.