page_title: Offshoots of Operation Car Wash
section_title: Arrest of Delcídio do Amaral
hierarchical_section_title: Offshoots of Operation Car Wash / In Brazil / 2015 / Arrest of Delcídio do Amaral
caption_attribution_description: Português: Senador Delcídio Amaral
context_page_description: A long series of criminal investigations have occurred in Brazil associated with Operation Car Wash, since the first one began in March 2014. These investigations are considered offshoots of the original phased investigations.
context_section_description: On 25 November 2015, the Federal Police arrested Senator Delcídio do Amaral for trying to impede the colaboração premiada  (rewarded collaboration) of former Petrobras director Nestor Cerveró about the senator's alleged participation in irregularities in the purchase of Pasadena Refining System in the state of Texas. Police said in 2015 that they had found evidence of $15 million in bribes related to the purchase of the refinery Petrobras first held a 50% share of the refinery, then later bought the other half as well, as a result of a dispute with its partner, Astra Oil, which had purchased the entire refinery in 2005 for US$42.5 million. A year later Petrobras bought a half interest in the refinery for US$360 million. They wound up paying $820.6 in 2012 when a US court enforced a provision of the sales contract. In January 2019 Petrobras signed a sale agreement for their interest in Pasadena Refinery, as well as three refineries he in Brazil, Abreu e Lima (RNEST), Landulpho Alves  (RLAM), Presidente Getúlio Vargas (REPAR) and Alberto Pasqualini (REFAP).
  Cervero was sentenced 17 August 2015 to 12 years in prison for money laundering and corruption for a bribe paid to the speaker of the lower house by Samsung Heavy Industries for two drillship contracts. Cervero had  previously been sentenced to five years for using a shell company to launder money stolen from Petrobras and buy a luxury apartment in Rio de Janeiro. Petrobras fired him in 2014.
  According to investigators, Delcídio offered Cerveró an opportunity to escape, so that he wouldn't testify against him in return for a reduced sentence. The authorities saw this as an attempt to obstruct justice. A recording made by Cerveró's son showed the Senator's intention to interfere in the investigations and offer the former executive escape so that he would not talk. In addition to Delcídio do Amaral and his chief of staff, two others were also arrested in the affair; banker André Esteves, then CEO of BTG Pactual, and Nestor Cerveró's defense lawyer Edson Ribeiro.
  Brazil's currency fell 2% on news of the arrests. BTG is Latin America's largest investment bank, and Delcídio had been head of the Senate economic affairs committee, deeply involved with proposed austerity measures.
caption: Senador Delcídio Amaral, from Agência Brasil (2008).
exif: {}