Brazil corruption probe judge dies in plane crash

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The Brazil Supreme Court judge key to a lengthy corruption probe of industry leaders and government officials died in an airplane crash Thursday afternoon, according to widespread media reports.

Supreme Court minister Teori Zavascki and three others died when their small plane crashed near a coastal town about 155 miles (250km) from Rio de Janeiro, according to reports quoting his son and authorities.

Zavascki was at the heart of the investigation dubbed Lava Jato (“car wash” in Portuguese) into a multibillion-dollar kickback scandal involving contracts with state-controlled oil giant Petrobras.

In addition to government officials, 23 other companies are suspected of being involved, including Brazil-based conglomerate Odebrecht, the largest shareholder of petrochemical major Braskem.