Argentina spy chief linked again to Odebrecht in probe

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Argentina’s spy chief is being linked again to the biggest corruption scandal in Brazil’s history.

Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht is a key focus of the so-called “Car Wash” probe into an alleged kickback scheme at Brazil’s state-run Petrobras oil company.

Leonardo Meirelles, a black market money dealer who accepted a plea bargain, said Thursday that the Odebrecht and OAS companies paid Argentine spy chief Gustavo Arribas nearly $850,000 in 2013. Meirelles spoke to two Argentine prosecutors in a video conference. Meirelles’ defence attorney said Friday that the 10 payments constituted bribes.

“Meirelles didn’t have any business with Gustavo Arribas,” attorney Haroldo Nater told Argentina’s Radio 10.

“Those deposits, and all the money that went through the accounts of Meirelles, came from corruption. And the payment to Arribas comes from an illegal act.”

Argentina’s La Nacion newspaper had reported earlier this year that Odebrecht had allegedly paid Arribas about $600,000 through Meirelles. La Nacion said that the money was deposited into a Swiss bank account just before Odebrecht won a construction bid for one of the main railroad lines in Buenos Aires.

Arribas denied the reports and said he only received $70,000 as part of a real estate deal in Brazil. He has not commented on the latest accusations by Meirelles.

President Mauricio Macri is a personal friend of Arribas and has publicly defended him. An Argentine judge also recently cleared Arribas of any wrongdoing. But some lawmakers have been asking him to resign as head of Argentina’s Federal Intelligence Agency.