A prominent member of the Swiss office of the attorney general will leave at the end of the year. It is the man behind the investigation into the role of Swiss banking in the Petrobras scandal and comes as a blow to the office.

Stefan Lenz, public prosecutor, has decided to retire from his position because he doesn't get the recognition for his work he feels entitled to, according to his letter of resignation made available to «Aargauer Zeitung».

The departure of Lenz comes as a blow for the attorney's office because his is the brain behind the Petrobras investigation in Switzerland. The affaire, which has shaken the political and business establishment in Brazil also affects Switzerland due to the involvement of its banking community.

60 Criminal Proceedings

The attorney general of Switzerland in March 2016 said that it had frozen assets worth some $800 million in the country in connection with Petrobras, bribery money paid to managers at the oil company.

Since April 2014, the office opened 60 criminal proceedings on grounds of suspected money laundering and bribery. More than a 1,000 banking relationships at some 40 banks have been looked into.

International Acclaim – Domestic Downgrade

The active approach taken by the office led by Michael Lauber has been praised internationally.

The departure of Lenz is all the more surprising. He criticizes the downgrading of the position of himself and his colleagues, which implies lower pay. For the seasoned investigator this also shows a lack of respect for the knowledge and performance of the prosecutors and investigators.