Brazil Influencer Ronnie Peterson Sentenced for Extortion of Municipal Officials in Minas Gerais

Ronnie Peterson Gonçalves da Silva, a 43‑year‑old digital influencer, was sentenced by the Minas Gerais state court to 7 years and 16 days in prison for extorting municipal officials in Santa Luzia, a suburb of Belo Horizonte. Prosecutors said he demanded up to R$100,000 from the vice‑mayor and secretaries, threatening to post defamatory content if they refused. The court also ordered him to pay civil damages of R$3,000‑10,000 to the victims.

In a separate case, 31‑year‑old influencer Diogo Henrique Calinçani publicly apologized after verbally and physically assaulting two street‑cleaners in Santana do Manhuaçu, Minas Gerais. He appeared voluntarily at the local police station, recorded a video apology, and said he was intoxicated at the time. The incident is under investigation by the civil police.