It is thought that the penalties could be US$1.6bn or more, making it the largest settlement to date regarding corporate corruption charges made by the Department of Justice and other US authorities.

Private contractors

The corruption charges relate not just to senior executives at the company, but also to private contractors and senior politicians in Brazil. 

Brazilian law firm

Gibson Dunn is working alongside Brazilian firm Trench, Rossi e Watanabe in the investigation. The oil company has promised to hand over information found by them to the authorities. The two firms are reporting to Ellen Gracie Northfleet, former chief justice in the Brazil Supreme Court, who was appointed to Petrobras last year. Source: Reuters