JBS' Batista Claims He Paid Monthly Payoff of US$ 14 thousand to Brazilian Senator

04/20/2018 - 10h37

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REYNALDO TUROLLO JR.

CAMILA MATTOSO

FROM SÃO PAULO

Brazilian businessman Joesley Batista reported to the Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) he made monthly payments of R$ 50 thousand (US$ 14 thousand) to senator Aécio Neves (PSDB-MG) for two years, by means of a radio owned by the senator.

The payments, according to Batista, were requested directly by Aécio Neves at a meeting in Rio, in which Neves said the money would be used to "cover his monthly expenses".

Batista delivered 16 invoices to the prosecutors, invoices which were issued between 2015 and 2017 under the name of Rádio Arco Íris, an affiliate of Jovem Pan radio in Belo Horizonte. JBS appears in the invoices as the company being charged.

Pedro Ladeira/Folhapress Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB-MG)

Folha had access to Batista's report, which is in one of the exhibits to his plea bargain submitted to the PGR on August 31, 2017, in addition to his first reports - those concerning president Michel Temer and also Aécio Neves.

The invoices were allegedly issued for the provision of "advertising services'" and their description state the monthly amount referred to the "sponsorship of Jornal da Manhã", one of the radio's programs.

The invoices amount to R$ 864 thousand (US$ 255 thousand) paid by JBS to the radio owned by Neves' family.

*Folha*'s story dated March 13 revealed that Aécio Neves sold his share of Rádio Arco Íris to Andrea Neves, his sister, for R$ 6.6 million (US$ 1.95 million) in September 2016.

The senator's lawyer, Alberto Toron, issued a note stating Batista is taking advantage of a "legal business relation" to "make another false accusation".

Translated by ANA BEATRIZ DEMARIA

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