US Justice Dept opens probe into Petrobras bribery case in Brazil

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating a former U.S.-based oil trader for Brazil's Petrobras already charged in his home country with taking part in a corruption scheme involving commodity companies Vitol SA, Glencore PLC and Trafigura AG, according to people familiar with the matter.

It was the first confirmation that U.S. investigators have joined a new phase of Brazil's "Car Wash" corruption probe, which has toppled presidents in two countries and sent more than 130 politicians and businessmen to jail across Latin America.