Widening Manhunt on Suspects Happening Amidst Brazil Corruption Scandal

On Monday, Portuguese police participated in the widening manhunt on suspects involved in Brazil's corruption scandal, the biggest bribery in its history.  

The suspect, identified as Raul Schmidt Felipe Junior was captured in his home in Lisbon, Portugal.  The arrest was requested by the Brazilian authorities according to the Portuguese attorney general's office.  The widening search for suspects involved in Brazil's corruption scandal is part of the Operation Car Wash that investigates a massive kickback scheme in the country, Yahoo reports.  Felipe Junior was the first suspect in the operation who was taken into custody outside Brazil.

There are no further details released yet about Felipe Junior. However, Brazil's leading O Globo news network via WTOP reported that he was a financial operator who processed illegal payments in a scheme.  He is accused of passing illegal funds to Petrobras officials who were now all detained due to their connection to Brazil's corruption scandal.  Felipe Junior had allegedly given bribes to former Petrobras directors Jorge Zelada, Renato de Souza Duque and Nestor Cervero.  Zelada, who managed Petroba's international division was charged with money-laundering and corruption.

With Brazil's corruption scandal, the authorities have been tracking suspects further its border.  Meanwhile, the country's government-run oil company was reported on a huge loss after the oil prices plunked down last year.  Petrobras reported a major loss of 34.8 billion reais ($9.6 billion)  last year, Money CNN reported.  Petrobras is at the center of Brazil's corruption scandal as more high officials  involved in the bribery scheme in the oil company are being arrested. It also threatens the present Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff ho is the subject of mass rallies and impeachment  proceedings.

According to prosecutors,  Brazil's corruption scandal has cost the oil company a total of more than $16 billion. It also includes the bribery money that was paid to corrupt officials and firms. Petrobras represents a 2% share into Brazil's gross national product (GNP). Its loss had made a huge impact on Brazil's economy.

Tags

Petrobras, Petrobras corruption, Brazil corruption scandal, Raul Schmidt Felipe Junior, Brazil impeachment on president, Brazil president Dilma Rousseff, Brazil money laundering and corruption

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