In new stage, Operation Car Wash probes Panama's company
São Paulo - Renata Pereira Brito, Nelci Warken and Ricardo Honório Neto leave the Federal Police Superintendency headquarters in São Paulo, and travel to Curitiba (in Paraná state) 
The advertising Nelci Warken, who provided services to the Housing Cooperative Bank (Bancoop), was the first person arrested at the 22th stage of Operation Car Wash, launched this morning (Jan. 27), entitled Triple X.
In an interview today (Jan. 27), investigators from the operation announced that they have also arrested Ricardo Honório, an owner of the Panamanian company Mossack Fonseca office in Brazil, and Renata Brito Pereira, who worked with Honório.
The company is responsible for the offshore company Murray, which purchased apartments in a housing complex in Guarujá, São Paulo coast, originally built by Bancoop. From 2005 to 2010, the cooperative was chaired by João Vaccari Neto, former treasurer of the ruling Workers' Party (PT), who was arrested in April last year by Operation Car Wash. The operation name alludes to Murray's triplex in the housing complex.
As the complex was passed on to construction firm OAS in 2009 due to the financial crisis of the cooperative, the Federal Police investigates if assets were hidden in the transaction and if the apartments were used as bribes. "In addition to possible crimes of tax evasion and hidden assets, there is evidence that the apartments were used as bribe payment for the current owners," explained Igor Romario, Federal Police chief of the Operation Car Wash.
Federal Police building, in São Paulo
The chief added that three other people linked to Mossack Fonseca have had temporary arrest warrant issued, but they are abroad. One is Maria Mercedes, the firm's office manager in Brazil. The other is Ademir Auada, employee responsible for opening several offshore firms; he has already been located and notified. The third is Luis Fernando Ribeiro Ernandez, who has not been located yet.
Chief of Police Igor Romario reported that the searches and seizures—15 warrants— at the indicated houses have been obtained.
At the 22th stage of Operation Car Wash launched this morning (Jan. 27) in São Paulo and Santa Catarina, they have served warrants of forceful presentation (when the person is taken to the police for giving testimonies) to two employees of Mossack Fonseca company. Eliana Pinheiro de Freitas and Rodrigo Andres Fernandes have already been heard by the Federal Police.
Prosecutor of Operation Car Wash, Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima added that they have been searching for evidence of a criminal structure that would be facilitating the opening of offshore companies in tax havens and offshore bank accounts to hide kickback money from a corruption scheme involving state-run oil firm Petrobras.
Three of the defendants in the Operation Car Wash—Renato Duque, former Petrobras services director, Mário Góes (businessman) and former Petrobras Services Manager Pedro Barusco—had opened offshore companies by Mossack Fonseca.
"Mossack Fonseca, based in Panama, has offices worldwide, including São Paulo. This company continued to open offshore companies abroad," said Lima mentioning that the activities have continued even after the Operation Car Wash was launched.
According to the prosecutor, these activities were confirmed by breaching the telephone secrecy that have indicated the opening of the bank accounts of those under investigation and of other people.
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: In new stage, Operation Car Wash probes Panama's company
