Three new sentences ruled in Operation Car Wash

Former Petrobras International Director Nestor Cerveró and lobbyists Fernando Antônio Soares and Júlio Camargo were sentenced today (Aug. 17) for the crimes of corruption and money laundering in one of the criminal cases comprising Operation Car Wash. In the crackdown, the police investigated kickbacks paid as part of deals for the purchase of drillships at the oil firm. Soares, also known as Fernando Baiano, has been found to serve as middleman for the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) in the corruption scheme involving Petrobras.

Federal Judge Sérgio Moro, in charge of the inquests, ruled that Cerveró should spend 12 years, three months and ten days in prison for the crimes of corruption and money laundering, in addition to paying a fine. In May, Cerveró had been condemned to five years in jail for money laundering in the purchase of an apartment, after concealing amounts originated from kickback money.

Fernando Baiano is to serve 12 years, three months, and ten days under custody, and was also ordered to pay a fine, for the same illicit doings. Júlio Camargo was condemned to 14 years of imprisonment.

In the sentence, Sérgio Moro highlights that Júlio Camargo signed a plea bargain, agreeing to disclose information regarded as key to unveiling the structure of the scheme. For this reason, the judge notes, the penalty imposed on Camargo after all the criminal cases under Operation Car Wash must not surpass 30 years. Also according to the ruling, Camargo was benefited by a semi-open regime for the first five years of his sentence, under which the convict is allowed out of jail, only to return at night.

A defendant in the same criminal case, foreign currency dealer Alberto Youssef was acquitted by Judge Sérgio Moro.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira