Conversations obtained by the Public Ministry of São Paulo after the confidentiality of the pagoda singer Vagner Borges Dias, 'Latrell Britto' – appointed as the 'head' of the PCC's fraud scheme in bids worth more than R$ 200 million in city halls and council chambers in Greater São Paulo and the interior of the State -, reveal details of how the group operated and also the level access to municipal administrations.
In the case of Ferraz de Vasconcelos, a municipality east of the metropolitan region, the dialogues indicate dialogue with a 'secretary' of the city hall, managed by Priscila Gambale (Podemos), and also arrangements with the 'auctioneer' of a suspicious tender. Another excerpt mentions a 'deputy' – the Prosecutor's report does not name the supposed parliamentarian; investigations are ongoing.
The dialogues of the PCC pagodeiro are a key part of Operation Munditia, whose overt phase was opened on the 16th. On that occasion, the councilor of Ferraz Flávio Batista de Souza (Podemos), known as 'Inha', was arrested on suspicion of receiving bribes of the gang linked to the PCC that had established itself in sectors of the municipal administration and legislature.
In addition to 'Inha', two more councilors were captured, from other municipalities: Luiz Carlos Alves Dias (MDB), 'Luizão Arquiteto', from Santa Isabel, and Ricardo de Oliveira (PSD), Ricardo 'Queixão'. Last Thursday (25), the Prosecutor's Office took to court a criminal complaint that attributes four councilors and three public servants to involvement with the organization infiltrated by the PCC in the public sector.
In the Ferraz de Vasconcelos chapter, the messages rescued by prosecutors show the PCC pagodeiro asking one of his employees. “Set aside 17 thousand for 'Inha'”.
The mention of Ferraz's 'secretary' – a likely reference to a portfolio in the Priscila Gambale administration – appears in audios exchanged between 'Latrell Brito' and Antônio, who would be his employee, in May of last year. Antônio says that Ferraz's 'secretary' called him and said that he 'thought it was better not to expose' companies under suspicion in an emergency notice.
“She didn't want to expose, for 'piriri, pororó', because it would increase the value, the value would be in accordance with the new convention, it would increase the number of employees, it would attract attention, if it could be another company”, says the message.
Antônio reports that the 'secretary' told him that she would publish the definitive notice. “I'm even sending this notice, which she said she wants to publish and make this tender this month, which will start in June and this emergency will last for a maximum of one or two months”, Vagner reported.
“And there is one more important detail. The company that carries out the emergency now will not be able to lower the unit price, the price per employee of the bid, much, even so as not to have a problem, right? This would be an impediment for Mova, for Cjm regardless of which company it would be for. It is better, in fact, to leave a buffer that does not hinder us from winning the definitive process”, he adds, highlighting the prior agreement of the bids.
Dialogues between Vagner and Márcio, the pagodeiro's alleged partner, show the extent of the gang's activities. He tells the pagodeiro in February 2023 that he is 'selling them to sell 3 thousand baskets and 3 thousand kits in Ferraz'. “You don’t even need to bid, in case of urgency”, he adds. Vagner says he 'loves' his partner and replies: “Let's go. Top”.
In another dialogue, in August 2022, Antônio, who on that occasion was using another number, reveals to Vagner data from a meeting with a auctioneer from Ferraz. “I spent almost 3 hours, man, with the auctioneer sorting out the details of the spreadsheet, who classifies, who disqualifies, but it's working, thank God, now leaving Ferraz”, he narrated.
That same month, the two investigated carried out a 'sweep' in Ferraz. Vagner questions whether one of the companies involved in the scheme would have a 'certificate'. Antônio replied: “We’re going to make the certificate appear with these questions about the certificate, right? Because the commission is with us and will not carry out due diligence, we will issue a certificate.”
The same conversation shows the extent of the presence of companies under suspicion in Ferraz's command of public contracts. Vagner tells Antônio that his company, Vagner Borges Dias ME, would have the necessary 'certificate' for the sweeping.
“Sweeping of Ferraz, because I closed all the services with him (Márcio, Vagner's partner). Just like I told you, all of Ferraz’s services are ours, right. Even the lunch lady, when we leave, we have to prepare a plan”, said the PCC pagodeiro.
The way the group operates is also revealed through dialogue. Investigators intercepted conversations between 'Bola' – also reported in Operation Munditia, owner of one of the companies allegedly involved in fraud – and 'Latrell Brito'.
They talked during auctions, adjusting the bids that each company would give so that the result of the auction was in accordance with the interests of the group. One conversation is also dated August 2022.
In September of that year, Vagner detailed the fraud scheme that had been set up in Ferraz to a man appointed by the Prosecutor's Office as his accomplice, Deneval Júnior: “Yeah, Ferraz is like that: we're going to take down the first one and then they're going to want to call the others, but the others are the same price. So, we will say that it is unfeasible to do an emergency, then, if we do an emergency, we already put in place.”
To Deneval, the pagodeiro also says that Antônio 'will put together' Ferraz's notice for one of the companies being investigated. “He also has João Pessoa's notice there, he's going to start drawing too, and Ubatuba if he's going to go down to see the OS business, me, you and him, I've already spoken to him too”, added 'Latrell Brito'.
Sweet tooth
Still in September, Antônio sent an audio to the pagodeiro narrating that the 'people of Ferraz are greedy'. “These people of Ferraz are greedy, these people are very greedy, huh, Vagner, they are in the same mold as Ferraz, unhealthy conditions for everyone, social security charges up there in that spreadsheet, mandatory technical visit, I put in a renegotiation clause, when the convention appears collective, the workforce is a little too high for us to have a fat, it's chic. If it happens like this, it’s beautiful.”
Later that day, Vagner details to Antônio an alleged division of values and mentions a 'deputy'. The Public Prosecutor's Office report based on the recovery of the group's messages does not name the deputy. Investigations are ongoing.
“And then 300 people, right, good, good, good. So, Ferraz is 10% for them and the rest he divided, then he took his 1% there and divided me and Márcio, because that way, they deduct 11% of INSS, then he said he won't deduct it, as the company is in simple, It won't be discounted so I can pay and not have that surplus, because there's no 20% from the employer, nor the RAT, understand? But it's high, bro, it's high, it's only going to be 90 bucks, 90. It's a lot, now, if he's going to give it there, I don't know, right, because he's saying he's anticipating it with the deputy and that money stays for me. It's a hell of a move, bro, I'm telling you, because now we have to stay light now that we're in the partnership so we don't lose, understand?”
About an hour later, Antônio still reports to his supposed boss about another auction, which would be held at the end of that year. “I spoke to BETO a little earlier and their intention is to launch this notice so that the auction takes place between Christmas and New Year, around the 27/28th, man, so that we can resolve it in the best way possible, if If that’s the case, I’ll put some thugs at the door so they don’t let anyone in and let’s go up.”
Corruption 'is not restricted' to 'Inha'
In a complaint from Operation Munditia, the Public Ministry of São Paulo states that the corruption of agents in Ferraz de Vasconcelos 'is not restricted' to 'Inha', the Ferraz councilor arrested when the overt phase of the investigation was opened. The investigations identified dialogues that directly refer to bribes being given to the parliamentarian.
The Prosecutor's Office also implicates Roberto Martinelle, former government secretary of Ferraz de Vasconcelos under Jorge Abissamra (2005-2012), in light of messages seized on Vagner's cell phone.
In a dialogue from January 2021, Martinelle and the pagodeiro discuss a supposed amendment to a 'Latrell Brito' contract. In the midst of this supposed deal, the former Government Secretary asks if he can ask his brother, Marcos, to 'talk' to Vagner.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, it was Marcos who called the pagodeiro, on behalf of his brother, seeking money from the headquarters of an investigated company. The Prosecutor's Office identified messages in which the company employee was warned that Marcos would look for money at the location. According to investigators, the money was separated monthly.
Other side
The report requested a statement from the mayor of Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Priscila Gambale. The space is open.
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.
