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Brazilian construction tycoon sentenced to 19 years for corruption

Xinhua, March 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

Brazilian construction tycoon Marcelo Odebrecht was sentenced Tuesday to 19 years and four months in prison for his participation in the corruption scheme linked to state oil and gas giant Petrobras.

The former chief executive of Odebrecht, one of the country's largest construction companies, is accused of paying 63 million U.S. dollars in bribes to Petrobras high officials.

Odebrecht was convicted of corruption, money laundering and criminal associations. His long sentence challenged the general belief that rich people do not go to jail in Brazil and when they go, they do not stay there for long.

Odebrecht was arrested in June 2015 as authorities believed he might try to use his influence to hinder investigations. He has been in jail since then.

His arrest happened during an investigation of the Federal Police's Carwash Operation, which has lasted two years and resulted in the arrest of a number of politicians, former Petrobras senior executives and executives of construction companies.

The businessman's attorneys considered the sentence unjust and said they are working to prove their client's innocence.

Four of Odebrecht's executives and a former Petrobras director were found guilty of the same crimes. According to law, they can appeal. Endi