By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Brazilian federal judge, Sergio Moro, sentenced on Thursday former PT (Workers) party treasurer, Delúbio Soares, to five years in prison for money laundering in the Lava Jato (Carwash) corruption scandal. Moro also condemned four other businessmen along with Soares for the scheme.
According to Moro the plan was sophisticated and involved a loan made between cattle rancher and known associate of the PT party, José Carlos Bumlai, and the Schahin bank.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said the debt was paid through a contract for the Schahin Group to operate a drilling vessel in Petrobras petroleum exploration fields. The contract cost Petrobras US$1.6 billion.
Moro stated that the scheme set up by Soares and the other four businessmen was complex, adding to the severity of the criminal intent.
“The money laundering scheme was sophisticated, with the use of two people between the source of the resources and their final destination, in addition to the simulation of two false loan contracts,” said the judge in his sentence.
In an unrelated investigation, Soares is also charged with other criminal actions arising from of wrongdoing at Petrobras.
In 2013 Delúbio Soares turned himself in to federal police after being convicted in the corruption scandal dubbed Mensalão.
In this case several leaders of the PT party were convicted for offering monthly bribes to members of Congress in exchange for their support on legislation between 2003 and 2005.
He was convicted to over six years of house arrest but was pardoned in 2016, along with other PT party officials.