Former Brazilian Congressman Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Involvement in Petrobras Corruption Scheme

11/17/2015 - 09h32

Former federal lawmaker Luiz Argôlo of political party Solidariedade was sentenced to 11 years and 11 months in prison for the crimes of active corruption and money laundering.

The sentence given by Judge Sergio Moro, from the 13th federal district court in Curitiba (Paraná), was published on Monday afternoon (16).

According to the sentence, Argôlo received at least US$ 385 thousand (R$ 1.47 million) in bribes from Petrobras suppliers from 2011 to 2014, when he served a term in the Lower House.

The magistrate ruled that Argôlo stays in jail because as a member of "a massive criminal scheme of bribery and money laundering," his release endangers public order and can enable new unlawful acts.

The fact that Argôlo served as an alternate congressman weighed in the decision to keep him in jail. "If free, depending on the circumstances, he could serve his term [in the Lower House], which would be intolerable," he wrote.

Argôlo is imprisoned since April 2015. A year earlier, after the outbreak of the Operation Car Wash (Lava Jato), there were allegations that the lawmaker had expenses paid by the black-market currency dealer Alberto Youssef.

The judge ruled that Argôlo should return the estimated bribe amount and also pay US$ 82,450 fine (R$ 315,000). In the same lawsuit, the former lawmaker was acquitted of the charges for embezzlement, corruption and money laundering regarding the purchase of a helicopter.

Moro did not condemn Alberto Youssef and his employee Rafael Angulo López. The two are whistleblowers.

Translated by JULIANA CALDERARI

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	Junior Pinheiro - 11.abr.-2015/Folhapress
	Former Brazilian congressman Luiz Argolo was sentenced to 11 years and 11 months in prison