Federal Police Investigates Financial Operations of Petrobras in Africa

05/26/2017 - 13h35

The Federal Police unleashed the 41st phase of the so-called Car Wash Operation, codenamed Dry Well, on Friday morning (the 26th).

The investigation is seeking to reveal the beneficiaries of a bribe paid for a contract to purchase an oil well in Benin, Africa - this would be the source of money cited in the case the that resulted in the condemnation for ex-congressman Eduardo Cunha (PMDB Party), identified as a beneficiary of US$ 1,5 million.

The targets of this phase are other beneficiaries of the bribe, according to the investigation, who received amounts in secret accounts in Switzerland and the United States.

Among them are former Petrobras manager Pedro Augusto Xavier Bastos, who was placed under pre-trial detention; banker José Augusto Ferreira dos Santos, who was the owner of BVA Bank at the time; Fernanda Luz, daughter of operative Jorge Luz, already under detention in the Car Wash Operation (Lava Jato); and four other businessmen.

All of them received part of the US$ 10 million bribe that was negotiated in the contract with Benin, according to the Federal Public Prosecutor - equivalent to nearly 30% of the total value of the deal.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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