[RIO DE JANEIRO] Brazilian prosecutors on Tuesday charged the former chief executive officer of state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro with corruption, alleging he used his position to take bribes from construction firm Odebrecht.

Aldemir Bendine served as CEO of Petrobras, as the company is known, between 2015 and 2016, and was brought in to clean up the firm after its central role in Brazil's massive political graft scandal.

Bendine, who also led state-owned lender Banco do Brasil SA from 2009 to 2015, was arrested late last month and remained in jail. His legal team did not immediately respond to request for comment.

REUTERS