Lava Jato: TRF4 acquits André Vargas and his brother.

From TRF4 - The 8th Panel of the Federal Regional Court of the 4th Region (TRF4) today (July 18) acquitted former federal deputy André Vargas and his brother Leon Denis Vargas Hilário of the crime of money laundering in relation to the acquisition of a property in the Alphaville Jacarandá neighborhood, in Londrina (PR), in 2011.

In this case, the process was limited to that property. According to the rapporteur of the judgment, Federal Judge Leandro Paulsen, who delivered the majority opinion of the panel, the house was purchased in January 2011, and the bribe payments to the former congressman were allegedly made between 2013 and 2015. "It cannot be categorically stated that the acquisition of the property was made using resources previously obtained through the commission of crimes," Paulsen assessed.

The two defendants were already convicted by the court in May 2017. André was sentenced to 13 years, 10 months, and 24 days for passive corruption and money laundering, and Leon to 10 years and 10 months for money laundering. Their appeals were denied and their appeals to higher courts were dismissed, but they are appealing the decision.