Corruption in Brazil

JBS executive reveals that Temer endorsed Cunha's purchase of silence, newspaper says

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JBS owner Joesley Batista told the Attorney General's Office that President Michel Temer (PMDB) endorsed the silence of former MP Eduardo Cunha (PMDB) and operator Lúcio Funaro, both arrested in Operation Lava Jato . The information was published by the newspaper O Globo on Wednesday, 17.

According to the publication, the information is part of an allegation of Joesley that has not yet been approved by the Federal Supreme Court (STF). The testimony of the businessman was given to the PGR in April and, on 10 last, the content was communicated to the Minister of Supreme Edson Fachin, Lava Jato's court rapporteur.

Still according to the newspaper, the conversation between Joesley and Temer would have happened on March 7 in the Palace of the Planalto. The businessman would have recorded the conversation with a hidden tape recorder.

According to the O Globo report, Joesley said he had told Temer that he was paying Cunha and Funaro to keep quiet. The president, according to the businessman, replies, "You have to keep this, have you?"

The publication also reported that the PF registered at least one delivery of $ 400,000 to Roberta, sister of Lucio Funaro. Already the money for Cunha would be delivered to Altair Alves Pinto. Altair had already been appointed by the operator Fernando Falcão Soares, Fernando Baiano, as the person responsible for receiving tips for the former deputy.

Cunha would have acted in favor of J & F in bills and in the FI-FGTS fund, which invested more than R $ 1 billion in companies of the group.

The businessman said he had paid Cunha at least R $ 5 million after his arrest, and still owed another R $ 20 million related to the passage of a law that provided for the tax exemption in the chicken sector.

Still according to Joesley's report published by O Globo, Temer indicated Representative Rodrigo Rocha Loures (PMDB-PR) to resolve "a matter" of J & F, the holding company that controls JBS. Afterwards, Rocha Loures was filmed receiving a suitcase with $ 500,000 sent by the businessman.

J & F's "pendency" with the government, according to Joesley, was a dispute over the price of gas supplied by Petrobras to the EPE thermoelectric plant, which belongs to the group. Loures would have called the president of Cade (Administrative Council for Economic Defense), Gilvandro Araújo, to intercede for J & F. For the service, Joesley would have offered Loures a 5% tip, which would have been accepted by the deputy.

Joesley and Ricardo Saud, director of JBS, would have agreed with Loures to pay a bribe of $ 500,000 a week for 20 years - which would total almost half a billion reais. The deputy would have said he would take the proposal to someone above him.

At least a delivery of $ 500,000 to Loures, made by Saud, would have been spotted by the PF in São Paulo. Joesley, Saud and five other JBS people are expected to pay a fine of $ 225 million, according to O Globo.

Aécio was also recorded

Joesley Batista told PGR, also according to O Globo, that he also recorded the senator Aécio Neves, president of the PSDB, asking him for $ 2 million. The owner of JBS gave PGR an audio in which the toucan asks for the amount under the justification of paying expenses for his defense in Lava Jato.

The moment of delivery of the money to a cousin of Aetius was filmed by the Federal Police. PF found that the amount was deposited in a company of Senator Zezé Perrella (PSDB-MG).