São Paulo councilor Senival Moura seeks PT exit after arrest in money‑laundering probe

Councilor Senival Moura was arrested on 25 June in São Paulo during a joint operation by the Police Civil and the Public Prosecutor’s Office that investigates alleged infiltration of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) into the city’s public‑transport company Transunião. He is accused of participating in a money‑laundering scheme that used the bus operator to move illicit funds.

On 27 June Moura submitted a formal request to the municipal directory of the Workers’ Party (PT) to disaffiliate, saying he needed to focus on his legal defence and avoid linking the case to the party. The PT confirmed receipt of the request, affirmed its commitment to due process and said the matter will be forwarded to its Ethics Committee, which could impose disciplinary measures up to expulsion.

Moura’s defence expressed “deep indignation” at the temporary detention and maintained his confidence that the investigation will prove his innocence. Separate reporting highlighted that Moura owns several high‑value properties, including an apartment in São Paulo’s Tatuapé district and a luxury rural estate in Extrema, Minas Gerais, assets deemed disproportionate to his councilor salary.