MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian police investigation into money laundering includes Petrobras

Petrobras president Graca Foster fully collaborated with the court order

Brazil's Federal police confirmed on Friday that it had orders from a Parana federal judge to raid Petrobras offices in search of documentation related to an alleged major money laundering scheme but it was not necessary because of the collaboration from the country's largest oil and gas corporation officials.

 Likewise Petrobras in a short release admitted having received on Friday the court order related to a “specific contract” and having complied immediately, but did not give further details as to the handed over documents.

“The Petrobras presidency collaborated with the federal police by handing the requested documents and which should help to advance investigations”, said Brazil's Federal Police. According to Petrobras a delegate and three officers were received by the corporation's president Graca Foster in one of the board's meeting rooms.

“Immediately the president called on the legal department to make all the necessary arrangements so as to comply with the court order”, points out the Petrobras release.

Launched on 17 March and identified as “Operation car wash” the purpose is to investigate a possible money laundering and hard currency evasion schemes involving a network of black market transactions. According to police sources the money involved in the illegal schemes could be in the range of 4.5 billion dollars.

The Brazilian Federal Police also points out that on Friday is was complying with 23 court orders referred to the same operation which included arrests and summons in the cities of Sao Paulo, Campinas, Rio do Janeiro, Macaé and Niteroi.

The court orders helped the Federal Police get hold of documentation which will enable to continue with the overall investigation.

The alleged corruption cases in Petrobras have been repeatedly exposed by Brazilian former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso who has been asking for a full investigation into the case, and demanding Congress name an inquest committee.

The cases involve the purchase by Petrobras of a refinery in Texas at an extraordinarily high price as well as certain operations in Argentina.