Gang arrested for carrying out payroll loan scams in 12 states

At least three suspects were arrested this Thursday morning (29), for carrying out payroll loan scams in 12 states. The Public Ministry of the State of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ), with support from the state's Civil Police, is on the streets to execute seven arrest warrants and ten search and seizure warrants against members of the criminal organization. The action takes place in neighborhoods in the capital of Rio de Janeiro and in the cities of Belford Roxo, in Baixada, and São Pedro da Aldeia, in the Lagos region.

According to the complaint from the Specialized Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (GAECO/MPRJ), the criminal organization claimed victims throughout Brazil. Incident records were identified in police stations in 12 states: Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, Acre, Ceará, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Goiás, Amapá, Goiás and Tocantins.

According to investigations, criminals approached victims, most of whom were retirees or people with little financial education, offering false portability of existing debts. In general, victims fell for the scam because the promise was to reduce the installments owed on loans already contracted.

Still according to the complaint, with the new loans taken out, the criminals made the victims transfer the amounts from their own accounts to the company's account or any other account controlled by the criminal organization.

The suspects also offered fictitious investments.

Now, those accused will answer for the crime of establishing a criminal organization. At the request of the MPRJ, the Court also ordered the breach of confidentiality of the data of the accused.