Brazil executives in graft probe agree major plea deal: source

[BRASÍLIA] Scores of executives at a Brazilian construction firm embroiled in a huge corruption scandal have agreed to a plea deal, a source close to the company said on Thursday, raising the prospect of politically explosive revelations.

The affair involving the construction firm Odebrecht and state oil giant Petrobras threatens to implicate conservative President Michel Temer, in office since May.

The source told AFP that 77 current and former Odebrecht executives, including the firm's jailed boss Marcelo Odebrecht, had signed the plea deal to cooperate with prosecutors in return for lighter sentences.

The firm also agreed to pay a US$2-billion dollar fine over the affair.

Marcelo Odebrecht was reported earlier this year to have named Mr Temer in testimony to investigators.

The executives are being investigated as part of a huge probe into corruption at state oil firm Petrobras.

That affair has engulfed numerous top politicians and has driven several of Mr Temer's ministers to resign.

AFP