▁sc andal ▁crack down , ▁involving ▁b ri ber y ▁and ▁mis app ropri ation ▁of ▁public ▁funds ▁by ▁political ▁authorities . ▁The ▁investigation ▁was ▁mode led ▁after ▁Man i ▁pul ite ▁in ▁Italy . ▁Cor ruption ▁sc and als ▁in ▁Brazil ▁usually ▁take ▁a ▁long ▁time ▁to ▁investigate ▁and ▁the ▁whole ▁legal ▁process ▁tends ▁to ▁drag . ▁However , ▁at ▁an ▁unusual ▁speed , ▁Mor o ▁author ized ▁further ▁investig ations , ▁det ent ions ▁and ▁question ing ▁of ▁suspect s . ▁By ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 2 0 ▁sentences ▁were ▁carried ▁and ▁ 1 7 5 ▁people ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁j ail . ▁Despite ▁some ▁criticism ▁from ▁fellow ▁jur ists ▁for ▁being ▁a ▁" media ▁dar ling ", ▁Mor o ▁enjoyed ▁high ▁popular ity ▁with ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁people ▁and ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁faces ▁in ▁the ▁fight ▁against ▁cor ruption ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁at ▁least ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁eye . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁criticism ▁of ▁the ▁speed ▁with ▁which ▁he ▁passed ▁the ▁sentences ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁huge ▁case , ▁his ▁actions ▁received ▁the ▁backing ▁of ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁sentences ▁and ▁dec isions ▁were ▁u ph eld ▁in ▁higher ▁courts . ▁By ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Mor o ▁had ▁sent ▁ 2 8 ▁people ▁to ▁j ail ▁on ▁charges ▁of ▁cor ruption , ▁with ▁four ▁of ▁them ▁having ▁their ▁sentences ▁reduced ▁by ▁a ▁higher ▁judge ▁and ▁four ▁being ▁set ▁free ▁upon ▁further ▁deliber