Odebrecht,feted in Panama, paid $3.3 billion in bribes

ODEBRECHT  will end up paying a fine of $2.6 billion  after   its dirty tricks department  paid $3.3 billion in bribes over 9 years,  with Panama a major player in awarding contracts totaling billions, to the Brazilian Company.

The department  that handled the distribution  of bribes was called the Structured Operations Sector, and Panama banks played a key role in funneling money to other countries.

The massive sum was revealed by the second-in-command of that department, Hilberto Mascarenhas da Silva, in a statement to prosecutors.

The executive was invited by Marcelo Odebrecht to create and organize the Structured Operations Sector under strict security parameters that Marcelo Odebrecht himself ended up violating.

The former head of the company bearing his name was feted  by ruling administrations during his visits to Panama.

The discovery of this sector of the company ­ once thought to be located in Panama ­ was key to compelling the company to reach a plea bargain with authorities in the U.S., Brazil and Switzerland.