Mysterious killing of Petrobras corruption investigation whistleblower

Monday, February 12th 2018 - 05:46 UTC

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Soares Vieira was a businessman but was also involved in politics as Deputy mayor of the city of Ourolandia, from 2012 to 2016, elected by the Workers Party, PT

Judge Moro called on the federal prosecution for a report on the mysterious execution by a an only motorcycle rider who fired nine shots at his victim.

Ex manager of Transpetro, Jose Antonio de Jesus has been formally accused of corruption and money laundering. He is suspected of having taken US$ 7 million.

A Brazilian federal judge has requested the Federal Prosecution Office a report on the killing of Jose Roberto Soares Vieira, who helped the Petrobras corruption probe team to track illegal payments in the 47th chapter of the investigation and which involved the former manager of Transpetro, Jose Antonio de Jesus.

Soares Vieira was a businessman but was also involved in politics as Deputy mayor of the city of Ourolandia in the state of Bahia from 2012 to 2016. He was elected by the Workers Party, PT of ex presidents Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff. Judge Moro gave the prosecution five days to come up with details of the mysterious execution by a an only motorcycle rider who fired nine shots at his victim on January 17 in the city of Candeiras, Bahia state, northeast Brazil..

“Disappointingly, the killing is very serious news; Soares Vieira was murdered while a criminal investigation is ongoing and he was a witness and also investigated”, said Judge Moro.
The Public Security Office from the State of Bahia said that the crime investigation was under the responsibility of the Civil Police and the Federal Police.

“We can't exclude the possibility that the homicide was related to the criminal investigation in course, since the victim, himself investigated, confessed his crimes and also revealed crimes of other associates. Federal prosecutors have five days to present a full report”, pointed out Moro.

Jose Antonio de Jesus has been formally accused of corruption and money laundering and the defense is expected to make a preliminary submission regarding the ex manager of Transpetro, a Petrobras subsidiary.

On 21 November 2017 as part of the Operation Sothis, the 47th chapter of the Lava Jato Petrobras corruption scheme, Soares Vieira was arrested by the Federal Police where he made a voluntary statement and involved his former partner Jose Antonio de Jesus, who allegedly received payments from companies contracted by Petrobras subsidiaries, without rendering the expected services.

Prosecutors wanted him and his ex partner in temporary confinement but Soares Vieira indictment was left in suspension by Judge Moro who did not want to abort the Sohtis operation. Anyhow all his assets were blocked.

Jose Antonio de Jesus was jailed and prosecution suspects that he, family members and other middle people received part of the 7 million Reais (some US$ 2.5 million) siphoned from NM Engehnaria, between 2009 and 2014. According to a statement from Soares Vieira, his ex associate de Jesus, pocketed much of the transfers. Based on this information prosecutors were able to track some US$ 2 million to the ex manager of Transpetro.

Lava Jato investigators are convinced that JRA Transporte and Sirius, two subsidiaries were linked to de Jesus and used in the siphoning of funds from NM Engineering.
Soares Vieira also revealed that other Petrobras subsidiaries were involved with the former manager of Transpetro, such the case of NM Engineerging, but transfers were far higher. The scheme was not limited to the state of Bahia but also included the states of Sergipe, Sao Paulo and Santa Catarina.

Apparently the uncovering of the whole corruption operation surfaced when Sergio Machado, the ex president of Transpetro and top officials from NM Engineering decided to confess.
In other words this means that Jose Antonio de Jesus and family are suspected of having received some US$ 7 million from NM Engineering, for granting Petrobras subsidiaries' contracts. Allegedly NM Engineering over the years managed contracts worth some US$ 500 million and Jose Antonio de Jesus cut was 0.5% of that sum, which supposedly had to be funneled to members of Bahia state Workers Party.

Categories: Politics, Brazil, International.

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Jack Bauer
Wouldn't be the first time the PT has resorted to killing those who dare to blow the whistle on them.
Feb 12th, 2018 - 04:30 pm +1
Jack Bauer
@THill, aka Brain-less, chronic liar

It is my duty to inform you :

My post :” his ('Terry's') allegation that I never publicly disclosed where I was born - actually mentioned in at least half-a-dozen posts, the last one being : under “Brazil’s shares surge as Lula’s corruption conviction is confirmed”, on 27 Jan, 03:20 pm”. N.B. : dated 27th January…

Yr above reply : You have admitted as such only after I wrote “Are you sure you’re not Argentinean? It is only those I have run into with a nationalist bent that have continually been revealed as chronic liars”…

Well, well, well…If I was trying to keep (where I was born) a secret, I could have done a “Terry” on you, i.e., try to “wiggle” my way out of it, by probably replying, “What’s it got to do with you ?”

But now numb nuts, I will PROVE that YOU are the CHRONIC liar.

Take a look at :
1) headline : “Temer clashes with Supreme court over Christmas pardon list…” - my post of Jan 06, 2018 at 05:39 pm…” : I spent my early years in BA, but after coming to Brazil…”

2) headline : “Support for Lula’s presidential bid despite his corruption conviction” my post of Jan 22, 2018 at 01:30 am… “As DT correctly states I was born in B.A., came here as a young kid…”
There are a few previous posts where I also mentioned my birthplace, but as you aren’t worth giving the time of day to, I’ve posted only the two above, sufficient to prove to everyone on here, that YOU are the CHRONIC liar.

Don't trip over your proboscis Pinnochio !!!!
Feb 20th, 2018 - 08:11 pm +1
Jack Bauer
@DT
Right, not really; neither does the assassination of the mayor of Santo André (state of SP), Celso Daniel, in January 2002. He was from the PT and according to preliminary investigations (which were suddenly dropped without explanation when they started to uncover a real can of worms), he was threatening to blow the lid off a corruption scheme related to the public transport (bus) concessions in the town. The timing was also suspicious, given that the PT had just launched Lula as their candidate in the Oct 2002 elections ; sure wouldn't have looked too good for him.
Celso Daniel's brother confirmed the mayor had been receiving death threats, which were later extended to him and his immediate family, to the point of having to take them and abandon the country...he decided to return about 5 years ago.
At the time, Palocci, who was later Lula's finance minister, became a person of interest, but as the investigation was never ended, we'll probably never know if and to what extent he might have been involved. With Lula winning the election a few months later, the case was filed.
On the good side, the 'lavajato' task force recently announced they would be reopening the case, as some trails have led back to the assassination.
Despite Lula leaving the presidency end 2010, it's a well known fact that Dilma was his puppet. The PT would never do anything without consulting Lula first, so it's pretty obvious he had a lot of influence (as far as the PT went) in Congress. As I said, Lula dealt the cards within the PT, naming and kicking out Dilma's ministers. While Dilma was no model for honesty or competence, there is no proof she actually put her hand in the til. The fact that her daughter became a successful businesswoman after she was elected (as did several other sons of high-ranking 'petistas') seems to be a lesser crime, not worthwhile investigating while there are more important issues to worry about..
Feb 13th, 2018 - 09:03 pm 0

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