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Brazilian police launch multiple operations targeting fraud, corruption and crime
Brazilian authorities carried out a series of police operations across the country this week targeting alleged corruption, financial fraud, cybercrime and other offences.
In Goiás, the mayor of São Simão, Wallison Freitas, was arrested for suspected health‑contract fraud involving nearly R$1.3 million. The Federal Police opened the second phase of Operation Disclosure, expanding raids in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo to probe alleged R$54 billion accounting fraud at retailer Americanas.
Operation Miragem targeted the Digimais bank owned by bishop Edir Macedo, seizing assets worth up to R$670 million and alleging falsified financial statements. Prosecutors also uncovered a parallel cash box of more than R$114 million linked to the former owner of Banco Master.
In the Federal District, Operation Parasitas uncovered unauthorised deductions from over 3,500 pensioners amounting to about R 5 million. The Federal Police’s Operation Rastro dismantled a cyber‑criminal group that exploited a vulnerability in the PIX system, executing 425 fraudulent transactions and laundering the proceeds through crypto‑assets.
In Acre, Operation Desmascarados executed a search warrant to combat the storage and distribution of child‑sexual‑abuse material. State and municipal police also intensified security actions, including a task‑force against organised‑crime assets in São Paulo and a force‑tackle against violence against women in Pará. These coordinated actions reflect a broad crackdown on illicit activities across multiple jurisdictions.