Brazilian Judge Sergio Moro ordered on Wednesday a blockade of assets belonging to former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, following his conviction for corruption.

The former president was accused of receiving bribes from construction company OAS in the form of a luxury apartment in the beach town of Guaruja, Sao Paulo state. The Court sentenced Lula to nine and a half years in prison but he can remain free through the appeal.

In addition to jail time, Judge Moro determined the seizure of 600,000 reals from four bank accounts belonging to Lula. Three apartments, one land lot and two cars were also frozen by the court. Lula and his family retain the use of those items but cannot sell them.

Lula denies all of the accusations. His defense team insisted that the judge was politically biased, and pronounced Lula guilty despite a blatant lack of evidence.

According to Lula, he and his wife only visited the Guaruja apartment but ultimately declined to buy it. Lula's lawyers also presented documents stating that OAS gave the apartment to public bank Caixa as a loan guarantee, indicating that the apartment was not even in the company' s possession to be disposed of.

Lula's defense lawyers also protested that the decision to freeze the assets was arbitrary and they were not properly informed of it before it was leaked to the press.