STF Minister Flávio Dino Rejects Release Request for Influencer Deolane Bezerra Amid Money‑Laundering Probe
On 21 May 2026, Deolane Bezerra, a 38‑year‑old influencer and lawyer, was arrested at her Alphaville mansion in Barueri during Operation Vérnix, a joint police‑public‑prosecutor operation targeting a suspected money‑laundering scheme linked to the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC). The investigation alleges she received funds from a transport company tied to the PCC and moved tens of millions of reais through personal accounts and shell companies.
STF minister Flávio Dino issued a decision on 23 May, published on 24 May, denying the habeas‑corpus petition for her release. Dino wrote that the STF is not the proper venue for the request and that he did not find any “manifest illegalidade” justifying a habeas‑corpus of ofício. He added, “Observo que o ato atacado consiste em decisão proferida em primeiro grau de jurisdição…”, and even if the court were competent, “não detecto manifesta ilegalidade”.
After the arrest, Deolane was transferred from the Penitenciária Feminina de Santana to the overcrowded Penitenciária Feminina de Tupi Paulista, about 667 km from São Paulo. Media coverage included Fantástico’s broadcast of body‑camera footage of the raid and statements from her sister and an ex‑diarist alleging intimidation. In a custody hearing she cited psychological health issues and her defense sought house arrest because she is mother to a minor, but the STF upheld the preventive detention.