Former Petrobras CEO targeted by Car Wash corruption probe

Federal Police carried out another operation on Thursday morning (July 27) to execute court orders including three temporary detentions of suspects and 11 searches as part of stage 42 of the Car Wash corruption investigation. The main targets according to the Federal Prosecution Service chapter at Paraná state (MPF-PR) include Aldemir Bendine, who has served as CEO for Petrobras and the Banco do Brasil state-owned bank, as well as intermediaries suspected of receiving $950,000 in kickbacks from Odebrecht construction giant.

Bendine headed Banco do Brasil between April 17, 2009 and February 6, 2015, and Petrobras between February 6, 2015 and May 30, 2016—when he moved to his Petrobras job, the Car Wash probe was well under way. Prosecutors found evidence he has solicited bribes from Odebrecht AgroIndustrial.

“Aldemir Bendine solicited R$17 million [$5.37 million] while serving as Banco do Brasil's CEO to help roll over a loan debt held by Odebrecht AgroIndustrial. Marcelo Odebrecht and Fernando Reis, Odebrecht executives who signed a plea bargaining deal with the Federal Prosecution Office, allegedly turned down his request because they thought he did not have the political clout to influence a loan arrangement with Banco do Brasil,” the note read.

Moreover, according to prosecutors, “there is evidence suggesting that the day before he took over at Petrobras on 6 February 2015, Bendine and one of his agents again solicited kickbacks from Marcelo Odebrecht and Fernando Reis in exchange for ensuring Odebrecht group would not have problems at Petrobras, especially regarding the legal consequences of Operation Car Wash.”

Translated by Mayra Borges