Ex-Petrobras international head jailed for 12 years

Scandal-ridden Brazilian oil giant Petrobras' former international head has been jailed for 12 years for corruption and money laundering, the media reported on Tuesday.

Jorge Zelada, the former director of the company's international division, was sentenced on Monday on charges of taking $31 million in bribes from Vantage Drilling Corporation in exchange for granting the company a contract to carry out sonic studies, Xinhua news agency reported.

Zelada headed his division from 2008 to 2012, replacing Nestor Cervero, who is also in jail, along with dozens of former Petrobras executives.

Moro also convicted Zelada of laundering more than 11 million euros ($12 million) through secret bank accounts at several offshore tax havens, and Brazilian courts have already confiscated some $30 million from Zelada's offshore accounts.

Regarding the Petrobras scandal which has been deemed the biggest corruption scandal in Brazil's history, prominent politicians and businessmen are under investigation over suspicious contracts worth $22 billion.