Funds frozen under kickback probe amount to $40 million

Freezed funds from bank accounts and investment funds of suspects investigated under the Federal Police Operation Car Wash are reported by the Federal Court in Curitiba, Paraná to amount to a total $40 million so far. Last week, Sérgio Moro, the judge in charge of the case, ordered the freezing of bank accounts of the suspects and companies implicated in the scheme. The frozen funds will be transferred to a Federal Court account.

On Tuesday (Nov. 25), two banks told the Court that they have frozen about $7,53 million from the accounts of Ildefonso Filho and Othon de Moraes, of Queiroz Galvão construction company, and Renato Duque, former Services Director for Petrobras.

Eduardo Leite, vice-president of Camargo Correa construction company, is held in custody at the Federal Police Superintendency in Curitiba. Yesterday (25), he petitioned the Federal Court to unfreeze his accounts, arguing that his wife and two daughters are his dependants and need the resources. The executive's defense maintains that a balance of $183,460 is legal.

Launched last March by the Federal Police, Operation Car Wash has dismantled a criminal organization involved in money laundering in six Brazilian states and the Federal District. Among the main suspects under investigation are former Petrobras director Paulo Roberto Costa, who exposed a kickback scheme in the oil company, and currency dealer Alberto Youssef.

Translated by Mayra Borges