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BRASÍLIA – Minister Rosa Weber, of the Federal Supreme Court, authorized the opening of an investigation to investigate Senator Romário (Pode-RJ), Deputy Benedita da Silva (PT-RJ) and eight other deputies on suspicion of irregular use of funds parliamentary activity. The minister responded to a request from the Deputy Attorney General of the Republic, Humberto Jacques de Medeiros.
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According to the deputy prosecutor, the parliamentarians are part of “a strong scheme of ideological falsehood, criminal association and money laundering.” The case involves the hiring of Atos Dois Propaganda e Publicidade Ltda (Xeque Mate Comunicação e Strategy).
Deputies Sérgio Brito (PSD-BA), Carlos Henrique Amorim (DEM-TO), Silas Câmara (Republicans-AM), Danilo Jorge de Barros Cabral (PSB-PE), Fábio de Almeida Reis (MDB-SE) are also investigated , Hiran Manuel Gonçalves da Silva (PP-RR), Jéssica Rojas Sales (MDB-AC) and Fausto Ruy Pinato (PP-SP).
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According to the PGR, the scheme used front companies and ‘iron fronts’, having as partners people with simple living standards. The companies allegedly provided services to congressmen from January 2014 to June 2018, issuing invoices with “strong indications of inconsistencies”, which would have been used “to support the alleged use of the parliamentary fee.”
The minister mentions in the decision that there are, in the investigation reports, documents and audios obtained in the search and seizure procedures, violations of telephone, banking and fiscal secrecy. Suspicions arose from this material of “a strong scheme of ideological falsehood, criminal association and money laundering.”
Rosa Weber decided to refer the request to the Federal District Court to investigate 19 more former deputies, including Senator Márcio Bittar (MDB-AC). She understood that her case does not involve the Senate mandate, but her activity in the House.
The others investigated are: André Luis Dantas Ferreira; João Alberto Fraga; Cesar Hanna Halum; Joziane Araújo Nascimento; Marcelo Augusto da Eira Correa; Marcelo Theodoro de Aguiar; Roberto da Silva Sales; Sebastião Bala Ferreira da Rocha; Raúl da Silva Lima Sobrinho; Milton João Soares Barbosa; Iris de Araújo; Ronaldo Fonseca de Souza; Pedro Vilela; Rebecca Martins Garcia; Josiane Braga Nunes; Julia Maria Godinho da Cruz Marinho; Rogério Schumann Rosso and Ezequiel Cortaz Teixeira.
Other side
Senator Romário reported, by note, that he hired one of the companies between January 2014 and December 2018, and that in that period R $ 82 thousand were paid for the services rendered.
“All the notes were presented to both the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate and duly approved in the respective rendering of accounts,” says the text, highlighting that it is available for the investigation.
Deputy Benedita reported that she received the decision “with surprise and indignation.” In a statement, she said that she was informed by the press “without having been notified, heard or questioned” about the case. “I am totally unaware of the information it contains on people or companies with whom I have never had a relationship. I have always been at the height of my legal income, either when I was a laundress in Chapéu Mangueira, or now as a deputy,” says the deputy.
Congressman Carlos Henrique Gaguim denied having acted improperly and said that he still did not have access to the process. In a note, he states that “all his expenses are accredited, they were made within the legal framework and his defense will request their immediate file.”
In a note, Congressman Fausto Pinato also denied any wrongdoing and said he was “calm.” According to him, the company was going to carry out work to modify its website, but found the cost high and paid only R $ 2,700 for the consultancy. “I am surprised by this decision by Minister Rosa Weber,” said Pinato, who reported that he had no knowledge of the investigation.
The other deputies were wanted, but did not return.
