The charges against Odebrecht stemmed from a nearly three-year investigation in Brazil into corruption at the state-run oil company Petrobras. Photo: ReutersA US judge on Monday (local time) sentenced Brazilian engineering company Odebrecht SA to pay $2.6 billion ($NZ3.7b) in fines in a massive criminal corruption case, signing off on a plea deal between the company and US, Brazilian and Swiss authorities. Odebrecht, along with affiliated petrochemical company Braskem SA, pleaded guilty to US bribery charges in December. A public relations executive working for Odebrecht in Sao Paulo declined to comment, as did William Burck, a lawyer for Odebrecht in the United States. The charges against Odebrecht stemmed from a nearly three-year investigation in Brazil into corruption at the state-run oil company Petrobras, which has led to dozens of arrests and political upheaval in Brazil.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 17, 2017 23:37 UTC