Marcelo Odebrecht officially announced his resignation and is stepping down from several roles after spending six months in prison for charges of bribery and corruption, for his alleged role in state-run Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) Lava Jato scandal.
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Image of Marcelo Odebrecht, from Odebrecht. |
Odebrecht is resigning from the President and CEO position of Odebrecht S.A., as well as the chairman of Braskem, Odebrecht Oil & Gas, Odebrecht Real Estate Developments and Odebrecht Environmental.
The Odebrecht board appointed Newton de Souzato take over all of the positions Marcelo will be leaving.
“Odebrecht believes that Marcelo’s unjust and unnecessary preventive detention will be revoked, which will enable him to devote himself to his family and concentrate on his defense,” Brazil’s largest construction firm said in a statement. “Odebrecht has full confidence that at the end of the current legal proceedings, Marcelo Odebrecht’s innocence will be officially recognized.”
In July, Brazil federal Judge Sergio Moro disclosed evidence that the Odebrecht company controlled six international bank accounts that paid approximately US$17 million between 2006 and 2011, to former directors of Petrobras Paulo Roberto Costa, Renato Duque, Nestor Cerveróand Jorge Luiz given by laymen Rogelio Zelada and the former manager of state Peter Barusco, according to a report from OGlobo.
Brazilian police arrested Odebrecht in June with accusations of bribery and corruption in connection with Lava Jato. On 20 July, federal police asked prosecutors to file charges against Odebrecht.
Prosecutors say Marcelo Odebrecht knew his firm participated in, and possibly led what they call a cartel of engineering firms that overcharged Petrobras and bribed executives and politicians. In addition, Brazilian police released messages found on Odebrecht's cell phone with instructions to "sanitize paraphernalia MF and RA," according to Reuters.
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