Ex-Petrobras director behind overseas transfers totaling €11 million
Former Petrobras head of International Operations Jorge Zelada (José Cruz/Agência Brasil)
Former Petrobras head of International Operations Jorge Zelada, arrested today (Jul 2) as part of the 15th phase of Federal Police-launched Operation Car Wash, is said to have received illicit amounts in drillship leases, sent funds to China, and made cash transfers between Switzerland and Monaco after the operation started. The allegations emerged Thursday during an interview with police authorities in Curitiba, Paraná.
The circulation of resources abroad after Operation Car Wash kicked off, Public Attorney Carlos Fernando Santos Lima says, reveals that the money laundering scheme remained uninterrupted, and provided the grounds for Zelada's arrest.
Cash transfers between European countries are estimated to total 11 million euros ($12.2 million)—a figure not in line with the executive's income, the attorney reported.
Zelada was mentioned by some of the arrested from previous stages of the operation as one of the beneficiaries in the corruption scheme at the state-run oil firm. The former director was arrested at his home in Rio de Janeiro, where documents were also seized.
Attorney Lima said that the 15th phase of Operation Car Wash, dubbed Operation Monaco, marks the end of probes targeting Petrobras's boards of directors. However, he explained, investigations at the company are not over.
“The investigation was initiated a year and a half ago now, and we believe there are no signs of further embezzlement on the part of other boards, implicating other directors. I cannot say [new clues] will not emerge—I keep being reminded of how much evidence we get; but the basic core has been quite thoroughly identified,” he said.
The “basic core” Lima referred to comprises four ex-Petrobras directors who have been sent to jail: Nestor Cerveró, Zelada's predecessor from International Operations; Renato Duque, from Services and Engineering; Paulo Roberto Costa, from Refine and Supply; and Jorge Zelada.
According to the Federal Police, those under investigation will face charges of corruption, big rigging, embezzlement of public funds, currency evasion, and money laundering.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Ex-Petrobras director behind overseas transfers totaling €11 million
