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Petrobras Supports Lava Jato Investigation: Federal Police Targets R$ 100 Million Fraud in Currency Exchange Operations Contracted by State-Owned Company

Written by Flavia Marinho
Published on 10/09/2020 at 17:31
Polícia Federal Operação Lava Jato fraude Petrobras e Banco
São alvos da Polícia Federal na operação Lava Jato, três funcionários da gerência de câmbio da Petrobras, três executivos do Banco Paulista, além de outras cinco pessoas
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Targets of the Federal Police in the Lava Jato Operation, Three Employees of the Currency Management at Petrobras, Three Executives from Banco Paulista, in Addition to Five Other Individuals

After a new phase of the Lava Jato Operation was launched this Thursday (09/10) to investigate possible fraud in currency operations between Petrobras and Banco Paulista, the state-owned company issued a statement informing that it is conducting internal investigations and, in this case, actively collaborated with the authorities in the Federal Police’s investigation efforts and provided support that resulted in this operation. Last month, the Lava Jato Operation arrested shipyard owners in Rio de Janeiro due to fraud in shipbuilding for Transpetro

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Named Sovrapprezzo, which means surcharge in Italian, the action fulfills 25 search and seizure warrants related to the Federal Police investigation concerning the Lava Jato task force in Curitiba, which identified losses of nearly R$ 100 million to Petrobras.

The targets of the Lava Jato operation include three executives from Banco Paulista, and five other individuals linked to companies involved in an alleged scheme in Rio de Janeiro, in addition to three employees from Petrobras’s currency management.

According to the Federal Police, the scheme involved overcharging operations beyond market values to inflate the bank’s profits, through possible payment of bribes to operators of the public company that would be shared with employees of the financial institution in exchange for directing currency business to the mentioned bank.

Judge Luiz Antonio Bonat also ordered the blocking of the assets of those investigated in Brazil and abroad, with a limit of R$ 97 million. The penalties related to the investigated crimes can total between 33 to 38 years of imprisonment.

Statement from Petrobras and Banco Paulista

In a statement, Petrobras informed that it conducts internal investigations and in this specific case “actively collaborated with the authorities in the investigation efforts and provided support that resulted in this operation”.

“Petrobras reaffirms and strengthens its zero tolerance regarding fraud and corruption. The company is a victim of the crimes uncovered by the Lava Jato operation, being recognized as such by the Federal Public Ministry and the Supreme Federal Court,” says the text, in which the company adds that it has been cooperating with investigations since 2014 and is co-author in 18 ongoing administrative impropriety actions.

Banco Paulista, also in a statement, claims that the subject of the investigation is operations carried out by the bank’s now-defunct currency area, which “were previously investigated”.

The current management of Banco Paulista is unaware of the investigated operations and informs that the institution has always acted in accordance with the law and follows all regulations and guidelines from the Central Bank of Brazil,” it stated.

Flavia Marinho

Flavia Marinho é Engenheira pós-graduada, com vasta experiência na indústria de construção naval onshore e offshore. Nos últimos anos, tem se dedicado a escrever artigos para sites de notícias nas áreas militar, segurança, indústria, petróleo e gás, energia, construção naval, geopolítica, empregos e cursos. Entre em contato com flaviacamil@gmail.com ou WhatsApp +55 21 973996379 para correções, sugestão de pauta, divulgação de vagas de emprego ou proposta de publicidade em nosso portal.

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