Prosecutors raided locations across the Netherlands on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the alleged use of shell companies to distribute US$ 100 million in bribes on behalf of Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht SA.
Pressure is growing on global commodity trading firms with strong ties to Switzerland for their alleged involvement in the “Car Wash” corruption scandal in Brazil. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating two Vitol executives in the Americas, according to Reuters news agency.
Antonio Palocci, who was minister during the governments of Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, affirmed that he gave the former president, in several opportunities, cash proceeds of bribes from the construction companies Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez, according to the Globo Group.
Brazil's government ordered troops to the northeast of the country on Friday to contain violence by criminal groups in the first test of new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's hard-line law-and-order platform.
Brazil’s Supreme Court delayed indefinitely a decision on whether former president Lula da Silva should be freed from prison, where he is serving a 12-term for corruption. One of the five justices called for the postponement to give more time to study the case after two of his colleagues decided against a release.
The Brazilian corruption probe known as Operation Carwash (Lava Jato) has placed three out of five living former presidents of Brazil as defendants. Michel Temer, the current president, and José Sarney so far have been only arraigned.
Brazil's incoming justice and security minister Sergio Moro announced on Tuesday he was recruiting part of his team from the massive “Car Wash” anti-corruption probe that snared former president Lula da Silva. Moro said he would be a “fool” not to work again with people he had worked with on the Car Wash investigation as they “have already proven their integrity and efficiency.”
A judge released fresh testimony this week alleging corrupt practices involving members of Brazil’s leftist Workers Party (PT), whose candidate Fernando Haddad faces far-right lawmaker Jair Bolsonaro in Sunday's presidential election.
The Brazilian currency dipped under four Real to the dollar for the first time in five weeks at close on Thursday as the markets reacted favorably to the emergence of two clear presidential election frontrunners. The Real closed at 3.99 to the US dollar just two weeks after hitting a record low of almost 4.2 to the dollar -- it's lost around 17% since the start of the year.
Sao Paulo state prosecutors in Brazil said on Tuesday they have charged the Workers Party (PT) vice presidential candidate Fernando Haddad with corruption, but any potential trial would not hinder his ability to run.