The president's office said a decree signed by Rousseff orders a halt to all payments to non-profits for 30 days while they are reviewed.

Sports minister Orlando Silva resigned last week in the wake of allegations that millions of dollars were diverted from a program to develop sports programs for poor youths through a non-profit.

Since June, five members of Rousseff's cabinet have been forced to resign following similar allegations of diverted funds and sudden wealth.

Many of the allegations involve non-governmental organizations created to channel public money to political parties or politicians, said Gil Castello Branco, the secretary general of Contas Abertas, an NGO that advocates government transparency.