Petrobras Scandal: Federal Police Indicts Marcelo Odebrecht and 4 More Executives on Suspicion of Corruption

07/21/2015 - 09h04

The Federal Police has indicted the president of Odebrecht group, Marcelo Bahia Odebrecht, on suspicion of active bribery, money laundering, bid rigging and crime against the economic order, within the scope of Operation Lava Jato.

The report made by federal official Eduardo Mauat da Silva points evidences of bid rigging and payment of bribes regarding at least seven Petrobras works.

It also points a suspicion of operating a scheme within the state company to sell naphtha, the main raw material of plastic industry, at prices below those commonly charged for Braskem, the petrochemical arm of the Odebrecht group.

The report will be forwarded to federal prosecutors, who will assess the Federal Police investigation before deciding whether to bring charges for these facts.

In addition to Marcelo Odebrecht, the report also indicted other company´s executives: Rogério Santos de Araújo, Alexandrino de Salles de Alencar, Márcio Faria da Silva and Cesar Ramos Rocha.

All of them are under arrest since June 19 in Curitiba. The directors of the conglomerate were removed from their activities after being arrested.

Petrobras manager Celso Araripe d´Oliveira, responsible for Petrobras´ headquarters work in Vitória, was also indicted.

The businessman is being investigated on suspicion of involvement in the corruption scheme in Petrobras.

According to Federal Police, data recorded on Marcelo Odebrecht´s mobile phone -one of the seized items- could indicate that the group´s president would have tried to obstruct Operation Lava Jato investigations, including citing politicians and judicial spheres.

Odebrecht executives defense lawyers have said that they are being prejudged and point out what they consider to be mistakes made by Federal Public Ministry when outlining the alleged links of the contractor to the payment of bribes abroad.

The attorneys of Marcelo Odebrecht and of executives Alexandrino de Alencar and Rogério Araújo have already started legal procedures against the request for continued custody.

Translated by DENISE MOTA

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	Paulo Lisboa/Folhapress
	The Federal Police has indicted Marcelo Odebrecht on suspicion of active bribery and money laundering