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Former head of Petrobras’ international division among six charged with corruption

The latest batch of charges in the Petrobras corruption case have netted some of the biggest names yet.

Among the six charged this time are the former head of Petrobras’ international division, Jorge Zelada, and Hsin Chi Su, chief executive of Taiwanese shipping firm TMT.

The graft and contract-rigging scandal that has engulfed Brazil’s state-run oil company has swept up numerous other firms in construction, engineering and other fields, in Brazil and overseas.

Essentially bribes were paid for contracts, prices were rigged and pockets of executives and politicians were lined.

Petrobras’ April financial statement said the company lost nearly $2 billion because of the graft.

Su and the others are accused of paying paid $31 million in bribes to Zelada, other ex-Petrobras officials, and Brazil’s PMBD political party.

In exchange, Petrobras officials improperly favored Vantage Drilling for a contract with the oil company for the use of its Titanium Explorer rig, according to the charge.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.
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