A councilor threw a bag of money through the window before being arrested by the Federal Police in Bahia, this Tuesday morning (10).
THE CNN found that he was the target of Operation “Overclean”, which investigates a diversion of R$1.4 billion at the National Department of Works Against Droughts (Dnocs), at the State Coordination of Bahia (CESTBA).
Before being approached by the agents, the parliamentarian threw a bag with a large amount of money out the window. Although, he was arrested with 14 other suspects.
The agents carried out 43 search and seizure warrants, 17 preventive arrest warrants and asset seizure orders. To date, 15 have been arrested in the operation.
The operation is the result of a joint action between the Federal Police, the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU), the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and the Federal Revenue Service, with the support of the American Agency for Homeland Security Investigations (Homeland Security Investigations – HSI).
Understand the investigation
The investigation began in 2023, after a money laundering report involving partners from a company contracted by Dnocs on projects carried out from 2017 onwards.
The investigation revealed that the criminal organization used shell companies and “orange” companies to defraud public contracts and launder money. The action investigates bidding fraud, embezzlement of public resources, corruption and money laundering.
The survey shows that the criminal organization directed public resources from parliamentary amendments and agreements for companies and individuals linked to municipal administrations.
The scheme involved overpricing in works and misappropriation of resources facilitated by interlocutors who manipulated the release of funds for previously selected projects.
CGU states that the group’s operations were structured into central and regional operators that co-opted public servants to obtain illicit advantages both in directing and executing contracts. “After the fraudulent contracts were signed, the companies involved overbilled values and applied overprices, passing on bribes through shell companies or methods that hid the origin of the funds”, explains the agency.
Money laundering was carried out sophisticatedly, including the use of:
- Shell companies controlled by “oranges”, used to move illicit values
- Companies with a large flow of cash, which masked the origin of the diverted resources
During the period investigated, the organization moved approximately R$ 1.4 billion . In 2024 alone, it signed contracts worth R$825 million with various public bodies.
THE CNN try to contact Dnocs about the case.
This content was originally published in Councilman throws suitcase of money out of window before being arrested in Bahia on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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