Brazil police crack down on widespread academic certificate fraud

Law enforcement operations across five Brazilian states—Bahia, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraíba, and Goiás—have uncovered a significant wave of falsified diplomas and academic certificates. These fraudulent documents, ranging from elementary school records to medical degrees, have been used to secure professional registrations in various sectors.

In August, the Federal Police conducted ‘Operação Canudo’ targeting a group suspected of selling academic documents to facilitate entry and transfers into medical courses. Investigations suggest at least 45 individuals may have used fraudulent documents to obtain medical professional registration.

Other major operations include ‘Operação Libellum Falsum’ in Rio de Janeiro and Paraíba, which investigated the use of fake certificates to obtain security guard licenses, and ‘Operação Escola de Papel’ in Goiás, which targeted the sale of high school and college diplomas to individuals who never attended classes. The fraud is complicated by the lack of centralized public verification systems, making it difficult for institutions to immediately validate the authenticity of documents.