Chiquinho Brazão targeted in federal operation on embezzlement of parliamentary amendments
On 9 July 2026 the Federal Police launched Operation Emendatio in Rio de Janeiro, deploying about 60 agents to execute two preventive arrest warrants and 21 search‑and‑seizure warrants. The operation focuses on former federal deputy Chiquinho Brazão, who was expelled from Congress in 2025 and convicted for the murder of councilwoman Marielle Franco.
Investigators say a scheme diverted funds from federal parliamentary amendments intended for non‑profit civil‑society organisations. The alleged diversion involved over‑pricing, use of shell companies and “front” entities to hide the origin and destination of the money. The police have blocked assets worth roughly R$ 100 million, authorised by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Two arrests were made: Raphael da Silva Gonçalves, former aide of Brazão’s brother Domingos, and Robson Calixto Fonseca, already serving a sentence for the Marielle case. The probe covers crimes of peculato, money‑laundering and organized crime, and aims to identify further participants and recover misappropriated public resources.