Minas Gerais court sentences 17 to illegal gambling scheme

A court in Minas Gerais, Brazil, has sentenced 17 members of a criminal organization involved in the illegal exploitation of ‘jogo do bicho’ (illegal gambling) and money laundering. The combined prison sentences exceed 87 years.

The convictions resulted from ‘Operação Provérbios 13:11’, an investigation conducted by the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG) and the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco) in the northern part of the state. Investigators identified a structured criminal network with specific administrative and financial roles designed to collect, move, and hide illicit funds through various financial and patrimonial mechanisms.

Evidence used in the sentencing included court-authorized telephone interceptions, data extracted from seized mobile phones, and bank and tax records. The operation, which began in late 2023, involved 65 search and seizure warrants across Montes Claros, Januária, and Brasília de Minas. Additionally, the court ordered the freezing of assets belonging to the defendants up to a limit of R$ 16.8 million.