Odebrecht construction company CEO to face prosecution

Federal Judge Sérgio Moro has indicted Marcelo Odebrecht, the CEO of construction company Odebrecht, and another 12 suspects investigated as part of Operation Car Wash. They are charged with corruption and money laundering in contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras.

Charges were also filed against money changer Alberto Youssef and former Petrobras executives Paulo Roberto Costa, Renato Duque, Pedro Barusco, and Celso Araripe, based on evidence that they took bribes. Alexandrino Ramos de Alencar and Márcio Faria da Silva, former Odebrecht executives, were also indicted.

According to Judge Moro, evidence implicates Marcelo Odebrecht in the wrongdoing as having guided the actions of the other suspects. The judge said this was evident “from messages and personal notes seized during the investigations.”

In his decision to initiate the prosecution Tuesday (July 28), Sérgio Moro said there is evidence that Odebrecht has made payments to the suspects through accounts in Switzerland. “Particularly revealing are documents from Switzerland which provide material proof of monies flowing from accounts run by Odebrecht to Petrobras directors.”

Odebrecht said in a statement that the “indictment is the starting point for the defense efforts, which will be conducted within the formal proceedings.”

Translated by Mayra Borges

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