Federal Police arrest suspect accused of handling PMDB bribes.

Rio 247 – The Federal Police took to the streets this morning to arrest lobbyist Jorge Luz, one of Petrobras' longest-serving operators, in a new phase of Operation Lava Jato.

Linked to Senator Jader Barbalho (PMDB-PA), he is accused of raising funds for the PMDB in the Senate, for parliamentarians such as Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL) and Romero Jucá (PMDB-RR), who defended the 2016 coup, with the overthrow of Dilma Rousseff, as a way to "stop the bleeding" of Lava Jato.

The new phase of the operation was named "blackout," a reference to Luz's name.

In total, 15 warrants were issued, including two arrest warrants.

Luz is being investigated for crimes including corruption, bid rigging, tax evasion, and money laundering, among others, according to the Federal Police. In his plea bargain testimony, former Petrobras International Director Nestor Cerveró stated to Judge Sérgio Moro that Senator Renan Calheiros, of the PMDB party, received bribes from money diverted from Petrobras through Jorge Luz.

Renan Calheiros' press office said that he denies the allegations, that he has already provided the necessary statements, and is available for further clarification.

Jorge Luz is considered the central figure in explaining the political connections of the scheme.

According to investigators, he has been working in the International and Supply departments since at least 1986 and even secured a direct contract for one of his companies, Gea Projetos, with the area then managed by Paulo Roberto Costa, a whistleblower in the Lava Jato corruption scandal, for R$ 5,2 million. Costa also attributes his continued tenure in the position during Lula's second term to him.

“Jorge has been a lobbyist within Petrobras forever. He had been working at Petrobras for many years. And I came to know him when that situation arose where I needed the support of the PMDB. Because he had a very strong relationship with the PMDB. So, until the need for support from the PMDB arose, I didn't know Jorge. I only got to know Jorge Luz after that moment when the PMDB entered the process along with the PP, so that I could remain on the board,” Costa stated in his testimony.

The son of a Navy commander born in the Bragança region (PA), he is described as discreet, with few assets in his name.

Below is a report from Reuters:

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The Federal Police launched a new phase of Operation Lava Jato this Thursday, dubbed Blackout, and is executing 15 search and seizure warrants and two preventive arrest warrants in Rio de Janeiro, the Federal Police said in a statement.

"Those under investigation will be held accountable for the crimes of corruption, bid rigging, tax evasion, money laundering, among others," the Federal Police informed in a statement. 

"The police operation primarily targets the activities of financial operators identified as facilitators in the movement of illicit funds paid to members of Petrobras' board of directors."

According to Globonews, the two targets of the arrest warrants are Bruno Luz and Jorge Luz, who are alleged to be financial operators in the corruption scheme at the state-owned company.

"The name of the phase (Blackout) is a reference to the surname of two of the financial operators of the criminal scheme existing within the Petrobras company. The symbolism of the name aims to demonstrate the definitive interruption of the actions of these investigated individuals as representatives of this powerful corruption scheme," said the Federal Police.

(By Eduardo Simões)