PF fights corruption and misappropriation of public resources in Pernambuco city hall

PF fights corruption and misappropriation of public resources in Pernambuco city hall

This Friday (2nd), the Federal Police launched Operations Ipuçaba, Circus and Pergaminho, with the aim of investigating the occurrence of crimes against the public administration, such as embezzlement, fraud in bids, passive corruption and money laundering, in contracts signed by the Municipality of Ouricuri/PE with service providers based in the states of Pernambuco and Ceará.

35 search and seizure warrants and 3 preventive arrests are carried out against businessmen, public servants and former public servants in Ouricuri/PE, Juazeiro do Norte/CE and Fortaleza/CE, in addition to precautionary measures for the unavailability of assets and removal from office of civil servants investigated.

The investigations had the help of the Comptroller General of the Union in Pernambuco.

Ipuçaba

The operation investigates the contracting of companies by the Municipality of Ouricuri/PE to provide transport services for students from the public education network and vehicle rental to meet the demands of the Departments of Health, Education and Social Assistance.

The steps taken during the investigation point to the existence of a criminal organization specialized in diverting public resources through shell companies formed specifically to rig bids and overprice contracts. Likewise, the investigation team pointed out strong indications that the services would not have been provided, although the payments had been made in full, thus generating possible damage to the public coffers and illicit enrichment of those involved.

A report by the Comptroller General of the Union identified that the companies controlled by the criminal group have received, since 2012, more than R$ 71 million from the City Hall of Ouricuri/PE alone.

In turn, in Operation Circus, the PF investigates alleged irregular hiring by the Municipality of Ouricuri of tents and chemical toilets, which were rented with the aim of providing greater comfort to the beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s Emergency Aid while waiting for service by Caixa Federal Economy (2020).

During the investigation, an overprice was identified in contracting services of approximately 500% when compared to the last contract signed between the City Hall and the company being investigated.

In Operation Parchment, in turn, the Federal Police investigates contracts signed by the Municipality of Ouricuri with companies constituted by orange partners to provide graphic and reprographic services to the Municipal Secretariats.

As verified in the investigation, since 2012 the companies controlled by the same family group have been benefiting from large contracts with the City Hall of Ouricuri, which, as pointed out by the Comptroller General of the Union, are vicious and potentially overpriced.

In addition, the investigated printing company is suspected of carrying out spurious maneuvers to raise money from other companies contracted by the municipal entity, in a possible scheme of payment of undue advantage, for subsequent distribution among public agents, thus indicating a supposed intention to conceal misappropriated amounts. of public coffers.

The judicial measures aim to reinforce the evidence of authorship, materiality and circumstances of the investigated facts, with the seizure of computers, cell phones and documents, in addition to recovering the damage to the calculated treasury.

The investigation investigates contracts signed from 2019 to 2021. The crimes being investigated are embezzlement, fraud in bids, passive corruption and money laundering. If convicted, those investigated could serve a sentence of up to 45 years in prison.

The prisoners will undergo a custody hearing and, if their preventive arrests are confirmed, they will be sent to the Salgueiro Public Prison, being available to the 27th Federal Court of Ouricuri/PE, otherwise, they will respond to the process in freedom.

Source: CNN Brasil