A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has temporarily halted a 10.3 billion reals ($2.10 billion) fine imposed on J&F, the controlling entity of JBS.
The court’s decision, not publicly disclosed, follows J&F’s plea to suspend the fine, asserting prosecutorial bias and “clearly persecutory actions.” In 2017, J&F agreed to the fine as part of a leniency deal linked to corruption scandals, with its founders admitting involvement in a political bribery scheme.
The recent ruling by Justice Dias Toffoli cites “reasonable doubt” regarding J&F’s voluntary adherence to the agreement, justifying the suspension of payments pending further investigation.
According to Foodmarket, a source revealed that J&F has already paid 2.9 billion reals of the fine. Toffoli has additionally granted the company the authority to reassess the terms of its agreement with prosecutors, facilitated by the national Comptroller General’s office, to rectify any potential abuses that may have occurred.
