SAABF SAAB AB (PK)

SÃ O PAULO—A Brazilian prosecutor said late Thursday he will reopen an investigation into alleged wrongdoings surrounding the purchase of Saab Gripen jet fighters by the Brazilian Air Force, after new evidence of irregularities emerged.

In April 2015, prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged corruption during negotiations between Sweden-based Saab and the Air Force, but the probe was closed a few months later due to a lack of evidence, according to a statement by the prosecutor's office in Brasí lia.

Federal prosecutors have now decided to reopen the probe, as new evidence of irregularities arose during a separate federal investigation into whether companies have bribed Brazilian tax officials and abused their influence. According to those investigations, people linked with these companies influenced Brazilian government authorities and tax officials to obtain advantages in certain tax disputes.

"We are happy to cooperate with investigative authorities in order to safeguard the integrity of the business we conduct," a Saab spokesman said in a written statement sent to The Wall Street Journal.

The Brazilian air force and federal government declined to comment for this article, but both had denied any wrongdoing previously.

The investigation into suspected tax fraud, known as Operation Zealots, was launched last year by authorities, including prosecutors and Federal Police.

At the end of last year, federal police arrested Mauro Marcondes, a former vice president at Brazil's auto makers' association Anfavea, on accusations that he had acted as a middleman between authorities and companies seeking to lower their tax bills.

"Mauro Marcondes served as a lobbyist for the Saab company with the Brazilian government," federal prosecutors said in a statement posted to an official website. "The suspicion is that the work may have involved corruption of current and former public servants."

Mr. Marcondes's representatives couldn't immediately be reached for comment, but he has previously denied any wrongdoing.

Brazil selected Saab to provide jet fighters at the end of 2013, a decision that was seen as a surprise after years of negotiations with rival suppliers in the U.S. and France. The latter countries are widely seen as more important political allies to Brazil than Sweden.

Write to Rogerio Jelmayer at rogerio.jelmayer@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 05, 2016 08:25 ET (13:25 GMT)

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