Currency dealer and ex-Petrobras director sentenced
Federal Judge Sérgio Moro 
Federal Judge Sérgio Moro passed Wednesday (Apr 22) sentence on former Petrobras Supply Director Paulo Roberto Costa and foreign currency dealer Alberto Youssef in the legal proceedings connected with the embezzlement of funds in the construction of the Abreu e Lima Refinery, the main project investigated by Operation Car Wash.
Costa was given a sentence of seven years and six months in jail for money embezzlement and criminal conspiracy. Youssef's is to last nine years and two months, also for money embezzlement.
At the trial, it was proved that the misappropriation took place by means of transfers from the Camargo Corrêa National Consortium, in charge of the refinery project, to six shell companies owned by foreign currency dealer Alberto Youssef. According to the judge, hundreds of operations overpricing goods and simulating services added up to a total of $6.16 million.
“The embezzlement operation, carried out following crimes of misappropriation, aimed to enable the payment of undue advantage—i.e., it enabled the practice of corruption, which should be seen as an aggravator. I also notice that, in the circumstances of the case, [the operation] is not inherent in the crime of embezzlement, since the black money, derived from other crimes, served to perpetrate the crime of corruption,” the judge said.
Judge Moro also rejected the request for judicial pardon filed by the defendants' lawyers. Although they agreed to give information about the embezzlement scheme targeting contracts between the construction companies and the oil giant, the judge decided that the pardon should not be granted due to the gravity of the crimes. However, he upheld the benefits given to the ex-director in the plea bargain. Costa has been held in house arrest since last year, which should not change up to October, when he is expected to be transferred to a semi-open regime, in which detainees are allowed to leave jail during the day, but must return at night.
former Petrobras Supply Director Paulo Roberto Costa
“Even though the deal does mention the semi-open regime starting on October 1, I deem nocturnal confinement and ankle monitors on weekends to be more appropriate, because of the efforts that would be necessary to protect the convict in a semi-open prison facility,” Moro stated.
Youssef, in turn, is to serve three years in jail under a regular, closed regime, even if he receives a sentence for other charges filed as part of Operation Car Wash. After this period, Youssef is to be transferred to a parole-like regime.
In his defense, the lawyers of Paulo Roberto Costa claimed he was complying with the demands imposed by the Progressive Party (PP), which appointed him for the position, and that he regretted having committed the crimes. As for the currency dealer, his defense alleged he did not lead the criminal scheme, which were used in “political financing and a project of power.”
According to the Federal Public Prosecution Office, the interrupted construction of the Abreu e Lima Refinery was budgeted at $828 million. Thus far, however, over $6.6 billion has been spent.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Currency dealer and ex-Petrobras director sentenced
