ranging from illegal campaign finance activity, placing cronies in strategic positions in government-owned businesses in return for kickbacks, to taking cash payments for voting with the government in the Brazilian Congress. The report states that as to the charges initially made by deputy Roberto Jefferson (PTB): Everything he said that could be verified appeared to be valid, including his own confessions. Everything he said, when compared to other testimony, showed a great degree of validity. The report added that several documents had been identified and validated which proved that large sums of money were withdrawn from agencies of the Rural Bank in Brasilia and Belo Horizonte, as well as from the bank accounts of the enterprises and DNA. According to the documents, the beneficiaries were federal deputies who received funds in person or through relatives, advisers, or individuals chosen by Marcos Valério. Some payments were made monthly, and others either more or less frequently. The report called the defense made by some parliamentarians that the funds were used to settle debts from electoral campaigns a "lame excuse". Congressional Committees of Investigation (CPIs) The following CPIs were involved in investigating issues related to the cash-for-votes scandal. Post Office CPI: Created June 9, 2005, to investigate alleged irregularities and corruption in the Brazilian Post Office following allegations made by Deputy Roberto Jefferson, this CPI focused on alleged payments made to Brazilian deputies by the ruling party. The scheduled end of the investigation was February 21, 2006. : Created on June 19, 2005, to investigate money laundering through bingo parlours, and the relationship between bingo and organized crime. The CPI was proposed after a tape revealed that (an advisor to José Dirceu) apparently extorted the gambling mafia of Rio de Janeiro to obtain funds for Workers' Party political campaigns. The end of this work was scheduled for October 26, 2005. Vote-buying CPI: Created July 20, 2005, to investigate alleged monthly payments to deputies. The Workers' Party requested a parallel investigation of the electoral reform that allowed a second term for ex-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso (PSDB). The end of this committee's work was scheduled for November 16, 2005. Members of the opposition also wanted a fourth CPI to investigate off-book accounts held by all parties during the most recent elections. Due to serial allegations of this kind of operation in many campaigns in 2002, including President Lula's, many believed this CPI could result in