Petrobras supports Lava Jato investigation: Federal Police target fraud of BRL 100 million in foreign exchange operations contracted by the state-owned company

The Federal Police are targets of the Lava Jato operation, three employees of the Petrobras exchange management, three executives of Banco Paulista, in addition to five other people

After a new phase of Operation Lava Jato was launched this Thursday (10/09) to investigate possible fraud in exchange operations carried out between Petrobras and Banco Paulista, the state-owned company issued a statement informing that it conducts internal investigations and , in this case, actively collaborated with the authorities in the investigation work of the Federal Police and provided subsidies that resulted in this operation. Last month, the Operation Lava Jato arrested shipyard owners in Rio de Janeiro due to fraud in the construction of Transpetro ships

Read also

• Lava Jato: Technip returns more than R$ 265 million to Petrobras
• Petrobras breaks high fuel prices; Gasoline and diesel became cheaper at refineries as of yesterday
• Petrobras Distribuidora negotiates the purchase of 50% of Golar Power to establish a partnership in the natural gas market - LNG
• Petrobras Revap refinery breaks record for LPG cooking gas sales and S-10 Diesel production

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

The targets of the Lava Jato operation are three executives from Banco Paulista, and five other people linked to companies used in an alleged scheme in Rio de Janeiro, in addition to three employees of Petrobras' foreign exchange management.

According to the Federal Police, the scheme would consist of surcharging operations above market values ​​to inflate the bank's profit, with the possible payment of bribes to operators of the public company that would be shared with employees of the financial institution in exchange for directing the business. exchange rates for said bank.

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

Statement by Petrobras and Banco Paulista

In a note, Petrobras reported that it conducts internal investigations and in this case specifically "it actively collaborated with the authorities in the investigation work and provided subsidies that resulted in this operation".

“Petrobras reaffirms and reinforces its zero tolerance for 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 Federal Supreme Court”, says the text, in which the company adds that it has collaborated with investigations since 2014 and is a co-author in 18 lawsuits. ongoing administrative impropriety.

Banco Paulista, also in a note, states that the object of the investigation would be operations carried out by the exchange area of ​​the institution, now extinct, which “were investigated previously”.

“The current management of the Bank Paulista it is unaware of the operations investigated and informs that the institution has always been guided by legality and follows all the rules and guidelines of the Central Bank of Brazil”, he informed.