António Cotrim / Lusa
This Wednesday, the Judiciary Police (PJ) carried out searches at the headquarters of Novo Banco and at the premises of the consultancy KPMG, in Lisbon, in an investigation investigating suspicions of active and passive corruption, the police announced.
In a statement, the PJ says that the operation, titled “Hair-Cut”aims to execute “dozens of search and seizure warrants and computer research, in which facts are investigated that may substantiate the practice of crimes of passive and active corruption in the private sector, qualified fraud and money laundering”.
At stake are suspicions of “illegalities in the sale of real estate assets held by a banking institution financially supported by the Portuguese State, through the Resolution Fund, with these operations resulting in huge losses for the Bank in question and for the interests of the State”.
which reported on the searches, said that it was the extinct Banco Espírito Santo.
In the operation, directed by the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP) and carried out through the National Unit to Combat Corruption (UNCC) of the PJ, more than 100 members of the PJ, 14 Prosecutors from the Public Ministry, three Criminal Investigation judges and one member of the Tax Authority (AT) participated.
According to the statement, the investigation continues with the analysis of the evidence collected, “aiming at the full investigation of all criminal conduct and the rapid conclusion of the investigations”.
In a press release, the KPMG Portugal confirmed meanwhile taking place in its offices in Lisbon diligence by judicial authorities to collect information about one of your customers.
“A KPMG Portugal is not targeted in the operation and remains, as always, available to collaborate with the judicial authorities in everything within its power”, says the statement.
Lusa contacted Novo Banco and is awaiting a response.
