News and commentary about white-collar crime, enforcement, and compliance
Harry Cassin
Publisher and Editor
Andy Spalding
Senior Editor
Jessica Tillipman
Senior Editor
Bill Steinman
Senior Editor
Richard L. Cassin
Editor at Large
Elizabeth K. Spahn
Editor Emeritus
Cody Worthington
Contributing Editor
Julie DiMauro
Contributing Editor
Thomas Fox
Contributing Editor
Marc Alain Bohn
Contributing Editor
Bill Waite
Contributing Editor
Russell A. Stamets
Contributing Editor
Richard Bistrong
Contributing Editor
Eric Carlson
Contributing Editor
A witness in the Odebrecht corruption case in Colombia died this month at his home near Bogota of what appeared to be a heart attack. Three days later his son died from cyanide poisoning. … Continue Reading
For over a year, Brazilian federal police could not access the files on Marcelo Odebrecht’s notebook computer. They tried using the password from Marcelo’s cell phones, with no luck.
Even Marcelo himself could not access the computer, as his password had been generated by two different electronic tokens that change combination with each access, and he no longer had the tokens following his arrest.… Continue Reading
The Brazilian judge overseeing the politically explosive investigation into a massive bribe and kickback scandal at the state energy company died Thursday in a plane crash.
Supreme Court Justice Teori Zavascki was killed when a light plane he was travelling in crashed into the water near Paraty in Rio de Janeiro state. … Continue Reading
Brazil construction giant Odebrecht S.A. and its petrochemical unit, Braskem S.A., pleaded guilty Wednesday to paying bribes around the world. The companies agreed to pay $3.5 billion for a global settlement with authorities in the United States, Brazil, and Switzerland.… Continue Reading
Brazil petrochemical giant Braskem SA said Wednesday it will pay about $957 million in penalties and damages for a global settlement related to the Operation Car Wash corruption and kickback scandal.… Continue Reading
Brazil petrochemical giant Braskem SA said Monday it has started discussions with the DOJ and SEC that could “lead to formal settlement negotiations and the resolution” of allegations that it paid bribes in exchange for supply contracts from state oil company Petrobras. … Continue Reading
Brazil’s Senate voted Wednesday to remove President Dilma Rousseff from office. The vote was 61 to 20, well clear of the two-thirds needed to pass the impeachment motion.
The Senate had suspended Rousseff in May after voting to hold an impeachment trial.… Continue Reading
More than three million protesters poured into the streets across Brazil this weekend, demanding the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff. Meanwhile, her Workers’ Party coalition partner said it may join opposition forces in a month to topple her government.… Continue Reading
Brazil construction tycoon Marcelo Odebrecht was sentenced to 19 years in prison Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation into corruption at state-owned energy giant Petrobras.
A report by Petro Global News said a federal court sentenced Odebrecht to 19 years in prison on charges of money laundering, corruption and taking part in a criminal association. … Continue Reading
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Trust filed a lawsuit in New York Thursday against Brazil’s state-owned oil giant and its auditor, alleging the loss of millions of dollars from the ongoing graft scandal.… Continue Reading
Former Petrobras director Pedro Barusco told a Brazilian court that a group of shipbuilding companies, including Keppel FELS and Jurong Shipyard, paid brides to win contracts with Sete Brasil.
Sete Brasil is a state-owned shipbuilder established to provide vessel’s to Brazil’s Petrobras.… Continue Reading
Marcelo Odebrecht (Image courtesy of the Economist via YouTube)Brazilian police arrested Marcelo Odebrecht, the billionaire CEO of the powerful Odebrecht conglomerate.
He was arrested last week with three other senior company executives and the chief executive of Andrade Gutierrez, another huge construction company.… Continue Reading