Brazilian Federal Prosecutor's Office details the actions of new operators investigated in Lava Jato.

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) detailed, in the requests that underpinned the ninth phase of Operation Lava Jato, launched yesterday (5), the actions of new operators in the scheme to collect bribes at Petrobras. Among the new investigated parties are representatives of companies and a retired Petrobras employee. All were the target of search and seizure warrants. The new stage of the investigation began as a result of the plea bargain agreement of former Petrobras manager Pedro Barusco,

According to the Brazilian Federal Prosecutor's Office (MPF), Zwi Zcorniky, representative of the Keppel Fels shipyard and Floatec, paid bribes to Barusco between 2003 and 2013, deposited into an account at Banco Delta in Switzerland. According to the investigations, the shipyard representative transferred funds to the Workers' Party (PT) through the party's treasurer, João Vaccari Neto. In his plea bargain testimony, Barusco stated that Keppel Fels paid US$14 million in bribes, of which US$12 million were passed on to the former director of Services at Petrobras, Renato Duque.

In his plea bargain testimony, Barusco stated that there was a "settlement of accounts" between him and the representatives of the companies. He cites meetings with the investigated Mário Frederico Mendonça Goes, in which "backpacks with large amounts of bribes, in cash," ranging between R$ 300 and R$ 400, were delivered. At the location, each contract was checked, accounting for the bribes paid and those still outstanding.

According to the investigation, César Roberto Santos Oliveira, owner of GDK, paid US$200 to Barusco, deposited in Banco Lombard Odier. Atan de Azevedo Barbosa, a retired Petrobras employee, is accused of favoring IESA Óleo e Gas. Between 2008 and 2013, Barusco received monthly bribe payments of US$29 for contracts signed between IESA and Petrobras.

The testimonies also mention the names of Guilherme Esteves de Jesus (accused of being an operator at the Jurong Shipyard); Milton Pascovich (Engevix), Shinko Nakandakari (Galvão Engenharia); Luis Eduardo Campos Barbosa da Silva (Alusa, Rolls Royce SBM), and Augusto Amorim Costa (Queiroz Galvão).

Yesterday (5), around 200 federal agents and Federal Revenue Service employees carried out 62 court orders in São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. In total, there were 18 coercive conduct orders, one preventive arrest order, three temporary arrest orders and 40 search and seizure orders.

In a statement released on website From the PT party, Vaccari Neto said that all the questions from the delegates were answered. He was taken by the Federal Police to give a statement to investigators in São Paulo. "All the questions asked by the delegate were clarified. I answered everything with transparency, honesty, and complete peace of mind," he declared.

Regarding Barusco's testimony, the PT's press office released an official statement reiterating that the party only receives legal donations declared to the Electoral Court. "The new statements from a former Petrobras manager follow the same line as others made in plea bargain processes, which are characterized by the attempt to involve the party in accusations, but present no evidence or even indications of irregularities and, therefore, do not deserve credibility. The accusers will be forced to answer in court for the lies uttered against the PT," the statement says. 

A Agency Brazil He was unable to contact the other defendants.