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Renato Duque, former Petrobras director convicted in Lava Jato, is the target of a new lawsuit for losses caused to the state-owned company
Petrobras seeks compensation in court against Renato Duque, a central figure in the embezzlement revealed by Lava Jato
Who is Renato Duque?
Renato de Souza Duque is a former Director of Services at Petrobras, a position he held between 2003 and 2012, during the Workers' Party governments. He was one of the main names involved in the corruption scandals uncovered by Operation Lava Jato, playing a central role in the mechanism that diverted resources from the state in billion-dollar contracts with construction companies.
During his term in office, Duque acted as a link between companies that overbilled for construction projects and political leaders, according to investigations by the Federal Police and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office. The embezzled funds involved systematic bribes in exchange for the release of contracts with Petrobras.
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Accumulated convictions and imprisonments
Duque was convicted in several criminal proceedings in the 13th Federal Court of Curitiba, totaling more than 70 years in prison for crimes such as passive corruption, money laundering and criminal association. Although he partially collaborated with the authorities at times, he was again the target of an arrest warrant in July 2024, for failure to comply with conditions and risk of escape.
He was located and arrested in Volta Redonda (RJ) in August 2024, reinforcing the Justice Department's understanding that he poses a risk to the execution of the sentences already imposed. The judicial decisions are public and are part of the procedural records of Lava Jato, one of the largest anti-corruption operations in the history of Brazil.
Petrobras lawsuit against Renato Duque
Petrobras filed a lawsuit demanding the return of R$15,7 million from Renato Duque. According to an article published by Gazeta do Povo, the amount represents financial damages caused by the unlawful acts he committed during his time at the company. The charge is based on final and binding decisions, that is, no further appeals are possible, and considers the direct financial impact caused to the state-owned company.
The company has relied on previous decisions to justify this type of charge, mainly on the understanding of the Federal Supreme Court that damages due to corruption in public administration are imprescriptible, that is, they can be charged at any time, even many years after the facts.
Petrobras steps up recovery of embezzled funds
The initiative against Duque is part of a broader effort by Petrobras to repair the losses caused by corruption cases revealed since 2014. The company has already recovered more than R$6 billion through leniency agreements, plea bargains and civil lawsuits. The information was confirmed in public financial statements and in official company statements.
In addition to seeking financial recovery, the state-owned company has also been reinforcing governance and corporate integrity practices in response to the criticism and image damage suffered over the past decade. The lawsuit against Duque is just another step in this ongoing strategy of accountability.
