Lawyer arrested for using fraudulent OAB registrations in Brazil

Antônio Carlos Cabral Coelho has been arrested in Brazil following investigations into the fraudulent use of professional registration numbers from the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (OAB).

The investigation was triggered during a virtual hearing at the Tribunal de Justiça de Minas Gerais (TJMG) on June 15. During the session, Coelho attempted to defend himself in a criminal review process related to a conviction for the misappropriation of R$ 5,507.66 belonging to a client. A magistrate conducting a routine check discovered that Coelho’s registration in Minas Gerais had been canceled following approximately 20 disciplinary proceedings.

Further scrutiny revealed that his registration in São Paulo was suspended. Additionally, investigators found that Coelho had been practicing under a third registration number that differed by only one digit from his original São Paulo number. This third number actually belonged to another professional whose registration was inactive. Coelho was arrested on September 1 following the investigation by the Civil Police.