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RIO – In another stage of Operation Mercadores del Caos, the Civil Police and the Public Ministry of Rio arrested, on Wednesday morning, businessman Maurício Fontoura, controller of the company ARC Fontoura, on suspicion of fraud in the sale of respirators for the state government.
Internal investigation: The Secretary of Health and CGE will make a working group to investigate the emergency contracts made during the pandemic
In total, the government purchased 1,000 respirators, but only received 52. However, mechanical ventilators are not suitable for the treatment of Covid-19. The total cost was R $ 183.5 million.
The businessman is one of those investigated to form part of a criminal organization that aimed to obtain advantages in emergency contracts, without the need for a tender, for the acquisition of the equipment necessary to combat new coronavirus in state hospitals.
In the action, prosecutors and agents of the Security and Intelligence Coordination (CSI / MPRJ) in Piraí, municipality of Sul Fluminense, carried out a search and seizure order at one of the addresses linked to Mauricio Fontoura. The arrest warrants were issued by the 1st specialized crime court of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice.
Last week, four people were arrested in the first phase of the operation: Gabriell Neves, a former undersecretary of state health, exonerated before his arrest; Gustavo Borges, Gabriell’s successor, who was exonerated after the operation; Aurino Filho, owner of A2A, a computer company that won a contract to supply respirators to the state; and Cinthya Silva Neumann, partner at Arc Fontoura.
The action was supported by the Specialized Action Group to Combat Tax Evasion and Illicit Activities against the Tax Order (GAESF / MPRJ), agents of CSI / MPRJ and Delfaz. The process runs in confidence.
