Rio de Janeiro deputy and councilor accused in $350 million public procurement fraud

The Public Ministry of Rio (MPRJ) filed a criminal complaint against a state deputy, a councilor and eight other individuals for allegedly orchestrating a large‑scale fraud scheme in municipal procurement. The group is accused of creating shell companies that won irregular bids to supply food to hospitals and schools in the municipalities of Magé and Japeri, signing about 45 contracts worth roughly R$350 million.

Investigators say the conspirators used falsified documentation and complex financial maneuvers to hide the origin of the funds, constituting organized crime and money‑laundering offenses. Search and seizure orders were approved, leading to raids on the deputy's office in the state legislature and the municipal chamber of São João de Meriti, where cash of R$21,000 and R$45,000 was seized from the homes of the deputy and councilor respectively. The prosecutor’s office is demanding the return of the contract values to the public coffers and seeks the loss of the elected mandates of the deputy and the councilor.