The death of businessman Antônio Vinicius Lopes Gritzbach, shot this afternoon at Guarulhos International Airport reveals another chapter in an organized crime plot with millionaire embezzlement, deaths and a settlement of accounts with the PCC.
Already known to the authorities, Antônio had been arrested in 2023 on suspicion of ordering the death of two influential members of the criminal organization : Anselmo Becheli Santa Fausta, aka “Cara Preta” and Antônio Corona Neto, aka “Sem Sangue”.
This chapter in the history of organized crime in São Paulo, however, began a little earlier, in mid-2018, when the businessman — who worked in real estate and cryptocurrency operations — met “Cara Preta” and began making investments for he.
Sources linked to the investigations reveal that million-dollar transactions were made with money of dubious origin. Over time, however, the member of the faction, who was responsible for moving million-dollar amounts, began to suspect embezzlement and began an escalation of demands, demanding that Antônio “account for the profits obtained”, according to investigation documents.
As suspicions intensified, “Cara Preta” became convinced that he was being deceived and demanded the full return of the amounts. As there was no way to return it, Antônio would have ordered the death of the influential member of the criminal organization.
Ordered death and fight back
The police point to Antônio Vinicius as the person behind the murder of “Cara Preta” and his driver, Sem Sangue, in December 2022, in Vila Formosa, East Zone of São Paulo.
On that occasion, the executor, identified as Noé Alves Schaun, parked his vehicle next to the victims’ car and fired shots. Nine shots hit “Cara Preta”, who died on the spot, while another two shots killed “Sem Sangue”.
Shortly afterwards, in January 2022, Noé’s head was found near the scene of the crime, in a brutal act of revenge by the PCC. In the mouth of the corpse, there was a note with the message: “This scoundrel was charged for the cowardice he did towards our brothers Anselmo and Sem Sangue.” Until then, Antônio Vinicius was not yet officially considered the mastermind of the crime.
The investigation into the deaths reveals that Antônio Vinícius had hired someone to kill “Cara Preta” and that this person had outsourced the action. When the suspicions of the person responsible for the crime were revealed, Antônio Vinicius was reportedly sworn to death by the PCC.
Transaction of millions and death order
In February 2022, Antônio was preventively arrested on suspicion of the deaths of “Cara Preta” and “Sem Sangue”. In his statement, he claimed not to know that the money he was handling belonged to criminals, saying that they presented themselves as football players.
In testimony, the businessman said that after the deaths, he was confronted by supposed members of the PCC and that he denied that he had ordered the deaths. He reported that he was threatened with dismemberment at the time.
Antônio also reported that, following the threats attributed to the PCC, he handed over to a group of suspects a cryptocurrency wallet with approximately R$27 million, a Ferrari and a pen drive with access to another digital wallet, with around R$100 million.
After leaving prison in 2023, Antônio would be negotiating a plea bargain that would allow him to leave the country. These plans, however, were interrupted at Passenger Terminal II, in Guarulhos, at 4:10 pm this afternoon, in a death that seems to close a cycle of betrayal and revenge.
This content was originally published in Murder of businessman at the airport reveals betrayal and settling of scores with the PCC on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
