The Federal Police (PF) launched, on the morning of Tuesday (7), Operation Bankruptcy against suspicion of corruption by printers that printed the tests for the National Secondary Education Examination (Enem).
In total, 41 search and seizure warrants are carried out in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and the Federal District. 127 federal police officers and 13 auditors from the Federal Comptroller General (CGU) participate in the operation.
According to the investigation carried out jointly between the PF and CGU, between 2010 and 2018, civil servants from the National Institute of Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira (Inep) irregularly hired companies for the process of printing the Enem tests.
Of the BRL 880 million involving payment contracts to companies under investigation, it is estimated that BRL 130 million were overpriced.
The Federal Court ordered the seizure of this amount of R$ 130 million from the companies and individuals involved in the scheme.
“The investigations revealed the role of directors and employees of the Institute, together with consultants from the contracted printers, in directing the hiring of companies”, declared the CGU in a statement.
The PF informed that the investigations point to an illicit enrichment of R$ 5 million by Inep’s servers suspected of participation.
According to the authorities, those involved are accused of the crimes of criminal organization, active and passive corruption, crimes under the law of bidding and money laundering. The sentences can exceed 20 years in prison.
The investigation
In 2019, CGU carried out an audit that revealed irregularities in the contracts signed by Inep with the company responsible for printing the exams. The contract with the company involved BRL 728 million between 2010 and 2018.
In the same year, the company filed for bankruptcy, which made Inep perform a new electronic auction. The company ranked third in the trading session was hired, after the disqualification of the first two. CGU did not specify the reason for the disqualification.
“The contracts under investigation have totaled payments, since 2010, of approximately R$ 880 million, of which approximately R$ 130 million were overpriced”, pointed out the CGU.
“The frauds, irregularities and undue favoritism resulted in the application of resources to satisfy private interests at the expense of the allocation that should prioritize the public interest. The deflagration of the Bankruptcy Operation aims to revert to the treasury the amounts paid unduly and the determination of the responsibility of those involved”, he concluded.
Reference: CNN Brasil
