Two people were arrested this Tuesday morning (12) during an operation to dismantle a criminal organization that was defrauding disability retirement benefits.
The action was initiated by the Federal Police and took place in the cities of Salvador, Camaçari and Dias D’Ávila – all in Bahia. The warrants were carried out in the metropolitan region, where the gang operated.
According to information released by the PF, the operation, called Zenon, began after investigations that revealed the existence of different social security benefits granted fraudulently through false data in the National Social Security Institute (INSS) system.
The action involved around 40 federal police officers who carried out eight search and seizure warrants, two for temporary arrest and one for definitive conviction.
Also according to the investigations, which began approximately three months ago, the criminal group was responsible for entering false information into the social security system granting disability retirement benefits, with a salary value within the Social Security ceiling.
“The case numbers did not exist and there was no copy of the court decisions attached to the concession dossier. Furthermore, it was found that the registrations of the employees who were supposed to have granted the benefits belong to employees who have already retired and who no longer have any connection with the INSS,” stated the PF.
It has been possible to identify, to date, at least 15 benefits granted. Despite the granting of fraudulent benefits, the INSS monitoring sector managed to block payments on time, and there were no withdrawals of disability pensions.
“Even after the blocks, fraudsters entered the INSS systems to request the unblocking of these payments, most of them would generate payment of retroactive amounts that would pay around R$70 thousand each”, reinforced the agency.
If the fraudulent benefits had not been blocked, the loss caused could have been R$76 million, according to calculations by the Ministry of Social Security.
Those involved will be responsible for various crimes, including criminal association, entering false data into information systems and social security fraud, with penalties that, if added together, can reach more than 15 years in prison.
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.
