The Federal Police carried out a search and seizure warrant at the home of the former Minister of Finance and National Integration, Ciro Gomes, and your brother, Cid Gomes (PDT-CE), acting senator for the state of Ceará, this Wednesday (15).
The operation investigates alleged fraud and payments of bribes to political agents and public servants during the bidding process for the works on the Arena Castelão, in Fortaleza, between 2010 and 2013.
In total, 14 search and seizure warrants are being fulfilled. In the state of Ceará, in addition to the capital, the operation, called Colosseum, reaches the cities of Meruoca and Juazeiro do Norte, and also extends to São Paulo (SP), Belo Horizonte (MG) and São Luís (MA).
Investigations began in 2017. According to the PF, there is a possibility that a company may have won the Arena Castelão’s bidding process with the condition of paying bribes to public officials.
The Federal Police is investigating a possible payment of R$ 11 million in bribes paid in cash or disguised as electoral donations, with fraudulent invoices issued by phantom companies.
During the search and seizure process, materials were collected for analysis and an assessment of the financial flow of suspects is being carried out, the PF said.
Ciro Gomes called the court order “abusive” and says that “Bolsonaro transformed Brazil into a Police State that hides under a false cover of legality”. The pre-candidate for the presidency says that he has no connection with the facts found, that he did not hold any public office related to the Arena renovation and that he never had any kind of contact with the whistleblowers.
“I have no doubt that this so late and unreasonable action has the clear objective of trying to harm my pre-candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic. Likewise, they tried 15 days before the first round of the 2018 election”, said the former minister on his social networks.
Reference: CNN Brasil
