AKIPRESS.COM - State prosecutors on Wednesday charged Brazil’s former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with hiding his ownership interest in a beachfront apartment, adding to the growing legal woes of Brazil’s most prominent political figure, WSJ said.

Authorities are accusing Mr. da Silva of failing to inform tax authorities of a luxury penthouse they say belongs to the former president, according to a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s’ office.

Prosecutors say Mr. da Silva’s concealment constitutes a form of money laundering, which is a criminal offense. The spokeswoman said more details would be provided Thursday in a news conference.

Mr. da Silva’s lawyer Cristiano Zanin Martins denied that his client ever owned the apartment, which is located in the beach town of Guarujá, a popular resort area in São Paulo state.

Mr. Martins said he was confident that the charges would be dismissed.

“The accusations are baseless,” Mr. Martins said.

Under Brazilian law, being charged with a crime doesn’t necessarily lead to a trial. A judge must determine whether there is enough evidence to accept a charge and allow the case to proceed to trial.

The Guarujá apartment is also part of a separate federal probe, known as Operation Car Wash, centered on state-run oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA . Petrobras has denied wrongdoing.

Federal police detained Mr. da Silva for questioning last Friday in connection with his alleged role in a supplier graft ring that prosecutors say skimmed billions from the oil giant and funneled some of the proceeds to politicians. Some executives have pleaded guilty or are working with prosecutors, while others have maintained their innocence.

Prosecutors say Mr. da Silva benefited from renovations made to the Guarujá penthouse by OAS SA, a construction company that has been implicated in the Petrobras graft ring.

Mr. da Silva and OAS have denied wrongdoing.

The accusations have dented the image of Mr. da Silva, a charismatic former union leader who is credited with implementing social programs that lifted millions of Brazilians from poverty when he served as president from 2003 to 2010.