Brazil's entire political class is mired in corruption scandals uncovered by prosecutors and police over the last four years and Paulo Maluf, 86, is seen by many as a symbol of long-running impunity for acts stretching back decades.
Currently a congressional deputy, Maluf was convicted of corruption in May by the Supreme Court. He has also been on Interpol's wanted list since 2010 for allegedly attempting to launder money abroad.
In 2015, he was sentenced in absentia by a Paris court to three years prison and a 200,000 euro fine for aggravated money laundering.
An ally of President Michel Temer, who also faces corruption charges, Maluf was mayor of Sao Paulo and also served as governor of the state.
His corruption conviction dates back to laundering of bribes worth some 170 million dollars received during construction projects from his 1993-96 mayoral term.
Maluf's attorneys kept appealing until judge Edson Fachin decided Tuesday that he would start serving his prison term.
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