Santa Catarina Court revokes preventive detention of fraud suspect

The 1st Criminal Chamber of the Court of Justice of Santa Catarina has revoked the preventive detention of a defendant accused of criminal association and electronic fraud. The decision was made via habeas corpus after a police investigation, which had served as the sole basis for demonstrating the contemporary risk required for custody, was archived.

The case originated from allegations of financial fraud involving third-party accounts between late 2023 and mid-2024. While a subsequent investigation in São Paulo regarding events in January 2025 led to a detention order in June 2026, the São Paulo Public Prosecutor's Office requested the archiving of that investigation due to insufficient evidence regarding the stability and division of tasks within the alleged criminal group. Consequently, the court ruled that the lack of contemporary risk necessitated the revocation of detention and the implementation of alternative measures.