Olympics Implicated in Brazil Corruption Probe
Police investigating $10 billion worth of construction contracts
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Brazilian police are investigating $10 billion worth of construction contracts for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between state-run oil company Petrobras and various engineering firms, Reuters reported on Wednesday. Igor Romario, a federal police chief in Brazil, said that the firms “very probably” broke price fixing and bribery laws in their contracts to build Olympic venues.
These revelations are a part of a bigger, two-year investigation dubbed “Operation Car Wash” by Brazilian police into corruption at Petrobras, which has resulted in several high profile arrests, including those of a senator and the chief executive of the largest investment bank in Brazil, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“In every situation where there has been an investigation into contracts with these companies, this model of corruption was repeated,” Romario told Reuters. “It's possible that it was repeated in the projects for the 2016 Olympics.” He noted there is currently no evidence pointing to corruption or bribery in the Olympic bidding process.
The Rio Olympics begin on August 5, 2016.