Another Former Petrobras Exec Arrested
Brazilian police have arrested Jorge Zelada, former head of Petrobras' international division, as part of an ongoing investigation into bribery and corruption at the state-run oil producer, a local newspaper reported on Thursday.
Zelada is accused of money-laundering, appropriating public funds, corruption, tax evasion and contract fraud, Folha de S. Paulo newspaper reported. He was taken into custody early Thursday as part of the graft probe centered on Petrobras that has already ensnared several of Brazil's top executives.
According to a police statement, the 15th phase of the investigation, dubbed "The Monaco Connection," led to search and seize warrants for three other suspects, though none were named.
Zelada is the fifth ex-Petrobras executive implicated in the 16-month old investigation.
A press representative for the Federal Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In an emailed statement, the police said they will give a press conference at 10:00 a.m. local time (1300 GMT).
Reporting by Asher Levine