Informant: Cunha kept 80% of the bribes from the FGTS (Brazilian employee severance fund).
Former vice-president of Caixa Econômica Federal, Fábio Cleto, reveals in his plea bargain testimony that suspended congressman Eduardo Cunha decided which investments would be made based on the requested amounts and ordered the "stolen" of investments that were in the interest of the PT (Workers' Party); the collection of bribes from companies was the responsibility of Cunha and businessman Lúcio Funaro, arrested this Friday; Cunha denies the accusations.
247 - The suspended Speaker of the House, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), kept 80% of the bribes paid in an alleged scheme to release funds from the FGTS Investment Fund (FI-FGTS), managed by Caixa Econômica Federal, revealed former Caixa Econômica Federal vice-president Fábio Cleto in a plea bargain.
According to him, Cunha decided which investments would be made based on the requested amounts. He indicated which ones interested him and asked Cleto to work to get them approved. Similarly, the congressman ordered the rejection of investments that were in the interest of the PT (Workers' Party), giving orders to "sabotage" these investments.
According to Fábio Cleto, the collection of bribes from companies was the responsibility of Cunha and businessman Lúcio Funaro, arrested this Friday, May 1st, by the Federal Police in a new phase of Operation Lava Jato, called Sépsis. The 80% share for Cunha was cited by the Attorney General of the Republic, Rodrigo Janot, in the arrest warrant for Funaro sent to the Supreme Federal Court.
Letter of resignation
In another part of his testimony, Cleto recounts signing a letter of resignation from his management position at Caixa Econômica, which he assumed in 2011, at the behest of Eduardo Cunha. According to him, the document could be used by his political patron if Cleto did not want to cooperate in the corruption scheme. Fábio Cleto's testimony was one of the elements that underpinned the Federal Police operation launched today.
In a statement, Cunha denied receiving any "undue advantage" and said that Cleto's nomination for Caixa was made by the PMDB caucus from Rio de Janeiro. "If he committed irregularities, let him answer for them," he argued. Read the full statement:
I am unaware of the content of the testimony, therefore I cannot comment on the details. I reiterate that the citizen who made the accusation was nominated for a position at Caixa Econômica Federal (a Brazilian bank), by the PMDB/RJ party, with my support, without this implying agreement with any irregular practice. I deny, as I have already denied, any receipt of undue advantage. If he committed irregularities, let him answer for them. I challenge anyone to prove the veracity of these testimonies, as well as any connection, of any nature, with the accounts mentioned by these informants.