Federal Police Arrest Workers' Party Treasurer in New Phase of Car Wash Operation

04/15/2015 - 16h36

The Workers' Party (PT) Treasurer, João Vaccari Neto, was arrested on Wednesday (15) by the Federal Police at his home in Sao Paulo. The Party's Finance Secretary denies participation in the corruption scheme involving Petrobras in recent years.

The police will take Vaccari to the federal police headquarters in Curitiba, where the investigation is being conducted. Folha has learnt that Vaccari was quiet at the time of arrest.

In its new phase, the Car Wash Operation attempts to execute a temporary arrest warrant against Vaccari's sister-in-law Marice Correia de Lima - in addition to a warrant to search and seize her house.

The Federal Police also carried out a warrant against his wife Giselda Rose de Lima. The hearing was held in her own house, so there was no need to take her to the police station to testify.

According to testimony given by black-market currency dealer Alberto Youssef, US$ 131 thousand (R$ 400 thousand) were embezzled from Petrobras and deposited into Vaccari's wife account, in 2008.

Judge Sérgio Moro ordered Vaccari's arrest justifying he could still commit money crimes or hinder investigations if kept as the Workers' Party Treasurer. "The criminal world cannot contaminate the political party system", he said in the order.

"His [Vaccari's] freedom offers even a special risk as the information available at the date of this decision is to the effect that João Vaccari Neto, even after criminal action carried out against him by Federal prosecutors [...], remains in the position of Treasurer of the Workers' Party. In such position of power and political influence, he can persist in the practice of crimes or even disturb the investigations and the execution of legal action", he said.

The judge stated that his "mere" removal from office would not be enough to prevent all risks, since there is evidence he was involved in the kickback scheme at Petrobras "even before his official nomination as Treasurer of the party".

"Anyone responsible for such severe crimes, including using the position of treasurer of a political party to raise criminal funds and corrupt the political system, offers a risk to public order, justifying the preventive [arrest]", he wrote.

SUSPICION

Donations to the Workers' Party are under suspicion because, according to Federal prosecutors, they were used by companies as a way of paying bribes in return for contracts with Petrobras.

Last Friday (9), Vaccari was heard by the Petrobras Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) in the Chamber of Deputies. In his testimony, he defended the donations the party received from companies investigated in the probe and admitted having met the heads of the corruption scheme uncovered at the state-run company. He avoided explaining the contracts, though.

Vaccari had obtained an injunction in court that determined he was not obliged to speak the truth to produce evidence against himself.

The Car Wash whistleblowers claimed that the treasurer was in charge of collecting the bribe required by Petrobras' service management. Renato Duque was the director at the time and former executive Pedro Barusco was his subordinate.

Vaccari is accused of corruption, money laundering and conspiracy, crimes that together carry over 20 years in jail.

Barusco, who decided to cooperate with the investigations, said that part of the bribe was kept with him and the other belonged to the Workers' Party. In testimony to the Petrobras CPI, the former manager said he and Duque met Vaccari in hotels to discuss the bribe.

Shortly after Barusco's statement, the PT's Finance Secretary published a note contesting the accusations made by Petrobras former manager. In the note, the Workers' Party stated that "Barusco has not presented any proof or even evidence showing Secretary Joao Vaccari Neto received bribes".

It also said that now Barusco is an informer seeking "judicial pardon by involving other people in his wrongdoings".

Translated by JULIANA CALDERARI

Read the article in the original language

	Paulo Lisboa/Folhapress
	João Vaccari Neto, Workers' Party Treasurer