Brazil Appeals Court Cuts Paulo ‘Preto’ Lava Jato Sentence to 5 Years and 11 Months

Overview

• The 5th Panel of the TRF-3 reduced Paulo Vieira de Souza’s punishment from 145 years and eight months to five years and 11 months in an initial semi-open regime.
• Judges upheld only a conviction for peculato and acquitted him of association-crime and insertion of false data charges.
• His defense says it will seek recognition of total prescription after he turned 70 in 2019, and prosecutors have not said whether they will appeal.
• Prosecutors allege about R$7.7 million meant for families displaced by the Rodoanel Sul and the Jacu-Pêssego extension was diverted, citing irregular beneficiary lists and an estimated R$6.3 million loss.
• Souza served 11 months in preventive detention, has been free since 2020, and remains under investigation in a separate alleged money-laundering case linked to Odebrecht.