Lava Jato Case: Executives Sentenced to Up to 14 Years for Petrobras Contract Fraud

A Brazilian federal court has sentenced six executives and financial operators from construction companies to prison terms of up to 14 years and seven months. The convictions are part of a remaining case from the now-defunct "Lava Jato" (Car Wash) operation, focusing on fraudulent contracts with the state-run oil company Petrobras between 2004 and 2014.

The ruling comes from the 13th Federal Criminal Court in Curitiba, the original base of the investigation that uncovered a scheme involving a cartel of construction firms and the systematic payment of bribes to former Petrobras directors and politicians. Petrobras itself participated in the proceedings as an assistant to the prosecution.

Among the convicted is Carlos Maurício Lima de Paula Barros, sentenced to 12 years, 2 months, and 7 days for active corruption and money laundering. Jesús de Oliveira Ferreira Filho received the longest sentence of 14 years, 7 months, and 15 days for the same charges. Ricardo Teixeira Fontes was sentenced to 13 years, 10 months, and 15 days. Three others, Flávio Henrique de Oliveira Macedo, Eduardo Aparecido de Meira, and Igor Belan, received sentences of 7 years, 6 months, and 20 days for money laundering, with semi-open regimes.

The 107-page sentence, issued by Judge Guilherme Roman Borges, accepted the Federal Public Ministry's indictment. The investigation revealed that financial operators specialized in asset laundering were recruited to move illicit funds from the companies to corrupt officials. The accused allegedly directed works and services at three Petrobras units: the Henrique Lage Refinery (Revap), the Paulínia Refinery (Replan), and the Presidente Getúlio Vargas Refinery (Repar). One contract at Revap was reportedly signed at a price 39.42% higher than Petrobras's own original estimate. Prosecutors highlighted that "a broad criminal organization, between the years 2004 and 2014, committed repeated illicit acts against the state-owned company."