Matteson Ellis was quoted regarding the release of a defendant's testimony in the investigation of Odebrecht's alleged corruption scheme in Brazil. In a public testimony to a federal court, Paulo Roberto Costa, former director of a state-owned oil company, alleged that Odebrecht paid bribes to secure contracts on a construction project, and a Brazilian court published the video testimony online. The allegations against the company have been given increased attention due to the public release. Regarding the leak to local press, Ellis said there can be a cost to publishing a person's testimony. "Public perception can have unpredictable influences on a proceeding. In Brazil, Costa's testimony certainly seems to be affecting public perception already."