Rancher used contract with Petrobras to pay off bank loan, says prosecutor
Federal Prosecutor Diogo de Mattos declared Tuesday (Nov. 24) that the businessman-rancher José Carlos Bumlai has used the contracts signed with Petrobras to pay off loans granted by Banco Schahin. The prosecutor's statement was issued during a press conference to detail the 21st stage of Operation Car Wash, called Operation Free Pass, which probes alleged bidding fraud involving a drillship contract signed with Petrobras.
The prosecutor declared that the investigation has revealed so far that in 2004 there was a loan granted to José Carlos Bumlai. "According to information from three employees, this loan was actually intended to get to the Workers' Party (PT) and was paid by hiring Schahin as the drillship operator of Victoria 10,000, from Petrobras in 2009."
Diogo Mattos further declared that the loan of $3.23 million being carefully investigated was made in 2004. "This loan was extended through the years. At the end of 2005 in order to pay it off, a new loan was made from the same bank by a Bumlai's company. This company received the loan, and passed it to Bumlai, who paid it off, but a new charge of $4.85 million was imposed. This loan has not been paid either," reported Mattos.
According to IRS Auditor Roberto Leonel de Oliveira Lima, member of Operation Free Pass task force, this stage of Operation Car Wash is different from the others in the number of loans. He explained that the difference arisen from the equity's analysis of some of those involved and some of their companies "is basically connected to a series of loans received from public and private banks. These series of loans raised funds that have been transferred to several people."
José Carlos Bumlai was arrested Tuesday by the Federal Police (PF). He would testify at 14.30 in the BNDES Committee of Inquiry (CPI), from the lower house, investigating transactions involving the state-owned bank.
Bumlai is being mentioned as an alleged friend of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He was named by whistleblowers of Operation Car Wash as a middle-man who arranged meetings between Lula and executives. According to Prosecutor Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima, there is no evidence pointing to any intercession of former President Lula in the process involving loans from Banco Schahin.
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: Rancher used contract with Petrobras to pay off bank loan, says prosecutor
