Law student arrested for impersonating judge in São Paulo

A 53-year-old law student, Selmo dos Santos Pereira, was arrested in the ABC Paulista region of Greater São Paulo after attempting to impersonate a judge during a police stop. The incident occurred on August 31 in the Jardim do Mar neighborhood when Military Police intercepted a black Land Rover Evoque traveling at an incompatible speed.

During the approach, Pereira presented a falsified document under the name Jarbas Luiz dos Santos and claimed to be a judge for the 3rd Criminal Court of Santo André and a professor at a law school in São Bernardo do Campo. His claims were challenged when a passerby identified him as a student rather than a professor. Fingerprint analysis subsequently confirmed his true identity.

Following his arrest, police discovered that Pereira has 78 legal proceedings and 34 inquiries against him, including 22 related to fraud and an active arrest warrant. Colleagues from his university described him as having an “exotic” style, noting he frequently wore wigs and varied his clothing significantly. He was charged with using false documentation.