Federal Police say Argôlo used his parents as 'fronts'
Arrested in the 11th phase of Operation Lava Jato this Friday, former congressman Luiz Argôlo (SD) is being accused by the Federal Police of using his mother and father as "fronts" to receive bribes for Alberto Youssef in the corruption scheme involving contracts with Petrobras; according to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, the former congressman "effectively sold his parliamentary mandate" to the money launderer; at least R$ 2,68 million related to alleged bribes pocketed by him between 2011 and March 2014 have been traced.
Bahia 247 - Arrested in the 11th phase of Operation Lava Jato, this Friday (10), the former federal deputy from Bahia, Luiz Argôlo (SD), is being accused by the Federal Police (PF) of using his mother and father as 'fronts' to receive bribes from money launderer Alberto Youssef, one of the heads of the corruption scheme in contracts between construction companies and Petrobras.
Federal prosecutors concluded that Argôlo even used his position as a congressman to try to secure funding for Youssef to renovate a hotel he owned in Porto Seguro, in the south of the state.
According to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, the former congressman "effectively sold his parliamentary mandate" to the money launderer. At least R$ 2,68 million in alleged bribes pocketed by him were traced between 2011, when his term as a federal deputy began, and March 2014, when Operation Lava Jato was launched.
Argôlo negotiated the rental of heavy machinery for a project undertaken by the MGT consortium in Bahia. Since he did not have the necessary equipment, he turned to Youssef, who in February 2013 made a down payment of R$ 512 for rental contracts with an option to purchase a Doosan S340 excavator valued at R$ 680.156,44 and two Bomag compactors, valued at R$ 280.484,00 each.
The transaction was carried out by Malga Engenharia, controlled by Youssef, and allegedly a silent partner in the company. He also participated in the transaction as guarantor of the purchase option for the machines. His mother, Vera Lúcia de Barros Correia, is listed in the contract as the "custodian" of the excavator and tractors.
In the same year the deal was finalized, the former congressman's father, Manoelito Argôlo, received a deposit of R$ 60 from Youssef's accountant, Meire Poza, supposedly for the sale of a 111 m² plot of land belonging to the former congressman. The remaining R$ 47 from the transaction were paid to Élia dos Santos Hora, Argôlo's 'right-hand woman' in his political office.