Police arrest individuals for fraud and illegal medical practice in Brazil

Authorities in Brazil have arrested two women for separate criminal activities involving fraud and unauthorized medical procedures.

In Rio de Janeiro, Sthephanie Ferreira Mathias was arrested in Piabetá, Magé, for performing dental procedures clandestinely. Following an inspection by the Civil Police and the Regional Council of Dentistry of Rio de Janeiro (CRO-RJ), officials found the clinic operating without licenses or basic biosafety equipment, such as an autoclave for sterilization. Mathias admitted she has no degree in dentistry and had only attended a lecture on the subject.

In Piauí, nursing technician Patrícia Vieira da Silva, an employee of the Hospital de Urgência de Teresina (HUT), was indicted for fraud. Investigations revealed she allegedly convinced a friend to take out loans totaling R$ 112,000 by falsely claiming she needed urgent medical treatment for cancer. The victim reported total debts exceeding R$ 250,000 due to interest. Silva admitted to receiving the funds but attributed her financial situation to a gambling addiction.