Brazilian police have asked the Supreme Court for permission to question ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over his ties to the Petrobras corruption scandal.

Authorities say that, although there is no proof that the former president was involved in the kickback scheme, they would like to determine if Lula, or his a party, received any advantages under the bribery scandal.

The BBC reports that Lula says he has yet to receive any requests from police.

The Petrobras scandal has already resulted in 117 indictments and the arrests of five politicians. Criminal cases have been brought against 13 companies.

According to the prosecutors, the scandal began in 2004, when a small number of high-ranking Petrobras officials conspired with a number of companies to overcharge the oil company for construction and service work. The resulting dirty money amounted to $3 billion.

The scandal has completely outraged the nation.

Back in March, around one million Brazilians demonstrated in various cities across the country, demanding that President Dilma Rousseff (who was chairwoman of Petrobras during part of the time of the scandal) step down from office. Rousseff denies any involvement in the scandal and has yet to be charged with any wrongdoing.

Five years ago Brazil was regarded as among the world’s most promising emerging markets. Because of the scandal, all of that has radically changed. Unemployment in Brazil is on the rise, and Standard & Poor’s has cut the nation’s long-term debt rating just above junk status.

Maurício Santoro, a political science professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, spoke to the New York Times about the frustration and disillusionment currently overtaking Brazil. “I’ve never seen my countrymen so angry,” said Santoro, “We have this sense that the dream is over.”