Brazil's Comptroller General's Office (CGU) opens proceedings against Odebrecht and eight other companies.
The Comptroller General of the Union determined this Wednesday (11) the opening of administrative liability proceedings against ten more companies involved in allegations raised by the investigations of Operation Lava Jato, which investigates corruption in bidding for Petrobras works; the CGU stated that it opened proceedings against Odebrecht, Odebrecht Oil and Gas, Odebrecht Ambiental, Alumini Engenharia, GDK, Promon Engenharia, Andrade Gutierrez, Fidens Engenharia, Sanko Sider and SOG Oil and Gas; "If they are held liable, the result may lead to the prevention of entering into new contracts, the application of fines or, if applicable, other applicable penalties," said the CGU.
Reuters Agency - Brazil's Comptroller General's Office (CGU) determined on Wednesday the opening of administrative proceedings to hold ten more companies accountable for allegations raised by the Lava Jato operation, which is investigating corruption in bidding processes for Petrobras projects.
The CGU (Brazilian Federal Comptroller General) stated that it has opened proceedings against Odebrecht, Odebrecht Oil and Gas, Odebrecht Ambiental, Alumini Engenharia, GDK, Promon Engenharia, Andrade Gutierrez, Fidens Engenharia, Sanko Sider, and SOG Oil and Gas.
The companies will be notified in the coming days, the CGU said in a statement on Wednesday.
"If they are held responsible, the result could be a ban on entering into new contracts, the imposition of fines or, if applicable, other appropriate penalties," stated the CGU.
Contacted by Reuters, Andrade Gutierrez responded in a statement that it "denies and repudiates the accusations - based on conjecture and not concrete facts - and, as it has been doing since the beginning of Operation Lava Jato, reiterates that it has not had any involvement whatsoever with the facts related to the ongoing investigations."
Alumini Engenharia stated that it "is fully convinced of the integrity of all its actions and vehemently refutes the unfounded accusations that have been made." It also affirmed that it respects the process and is available to the authorities to provide all necessary clarifications.
GDK stated that it "will only comment when it has been officially notified of the matter by the CGU," and Promon Engenharia said that it "has not been officially notified and cannot comment until it has access to the contents of the proceedings."
Fidens stated that it "will review the content of the administrative procedure and will demonstrate, in due course, that it did not commit any irregularities."
Representatives from Odebrecht, Odebrecht Oil and Gas, and Odebrecht Environmental were not immediately available for comment.
Reuters was unable to reach representatives for Sanko Sider and SOG Oil and Gas.
The CGU, the federal government's agency for protecting public assets and combating corruption, stated that there is a possibility of new lawsuits being filed against other companies.
In early December, the CGU (Brazilian Comptroller General's Office) had already initiated administrative liability proceedings against eight companies involved in Operation Lava Jato: Camargo Corrêa, Engevix, Galvão Engenharia, Iesa, Mendes Junior, OAS, Queiroz Galvão, and UTC-Constran.
(By Roberto Samora, Marta Nogueira and Walter Brandimarte)