Brazilian construction giant in money laundering probe
The ongoing investigation, which began in April 2014, has been nicknamed "Operation Car Wash".
swissinfo.ch
On Wednesday, the Swiss Federal Prosecutor announced the inclusion of Latin America’s largest construction company, Odebrecht, in a money laundering investigation concerning Brazilian oil giant Petrobras.
This content was published on
1 minute
The Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Bern has been working with Brazilian authorities since March to investigate Petrobras in response to allegations of bribery and money laundering – allegations implicating the owners of some 300 Swiss bank accounts. The case is thought to be one of the largest corruption scandals in Brazil’s history.
Specifically, Petrobras executives are suspected of accepting bribes from Odebrecht, paid via the Swiss accounts, in exchange for charging inflated prices for contracts. The contract payments were then skimmed, with the cream going to Brazilian politicians.
As the investigation heated up this past spring, Switzerland froze $400 million in assets across over 30 banks, of which $120 million were released for repatriation to Brazil.
Odebrecht CEO Marcelo Odebrecht was arrested in Sao Paulo last month, and formal charges are anticipated soon. It is hoped that the inclusion of Odebrecht in the investigation will help hone in on the trail of corruption.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.