'Betcoptero' is a point of connection between Nelson Wilians and the owner of investigated bets; investigation points to transfers of R$9.8 million

The Airbus EC 130 T2 model helicopter, nicknamed by the group as ‘betcopter’. Reproduction Target of Operation Arena, by the Federal Police of Paraíba, on the morning of this Thursday (13), lawyer Nelson Wilians is investigated not only for being an operator of the group of online gambling entrepreneurs, but also for suspicious transactions with the owners of the companies PixBet and PixStar. One of them is a deal involving an Airbus EC 130 T2 model helicopter, nicknamed by the group as ‘betcopter’. According to the PF investigation report that g1 had access to, on August 11, 2023, the aircraft was transferred by Rubens Sobrinho Rodrigues Prudente to Wilians' law firm for a period of one year, as a loan. However, in searches carried out by agents in the documents of businessman Ernildo Junior de Farias Santos - founder and operational leader of the Pixbet group - the purchase and sale contract for the aircraft was found. PF executes search and seizure warrant against lawyer Nelson Wilians The contract indicates that the 'betcopter' was purchased by Nelson Wilians' office for the value of USD $5.5 million. The agreement reached on October 28, 2024 provided that the 'betcóptero' would be paid with a down payment of USD $550,000 and nine other installments of the same amount. The documents also found two proofs of payments made by Pix Star – the group's front company in Curaçao, in the Caribbean, in favor of Nelson Wilians Advogados in the total amount of R$9.8 million. The first payment was made on July 24, 2023 in the amount of R$4.8 million and the second on August 18, 2023 in the amount of R$5 million. Lawyer Nelson Wilians testifies to the CPMI of the INSS WILTON JUNIOR/ESTADÃO CONTEÚDO Furthermore, a service invoice for the helicopter, which had Nelson Wilians' office as operator, was issued by EJFS Negócios e Participações, a company also owned by Ernildo Junior. The investigation concludes that the ownership and use of aircraft is a point of union between the Pixbet group and Nelson Wilians' law firm, and that the association, ownership and usufruct are confused between the two. The feds claim that there is a financial confusion that points to an alleged financial operation by Wilians to encourage the hiding of his clients' assets. Operation Arena Lawyer Nelson Wilians is target of PF operation The Federal Police (PF) carries out a new operation at the home of lawyer Nelson Wilians. Last month, he was the target of an operation by the São Paulo tax authorities against fraud in the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) in São Paulo and Paraná. Federal agents carry out a search and seizure warrant at the lawyer's mansion in São Paulo, in a decision taken by the Federal Court of Paraíba. The warrant is part of the so-called Operation Arena, which investigates a business group in the northeast suspected of using corporate and financial structures abroad to hide the origin and destination of resources from the exploitation of gambling and sports betting. The main target of the action is the company PixBet, from Paraíba. The criminal transaction being investigated also involves PixStar, a shell company based on the island of Curaçao, in the Caribbean. The PF detected payments between the two companies. Nelson Willians is suspected of being the financial operator of the group under investigation. According to the investigation, he hid assets obtained by criminals illegally, according to the investigation. PF operation on money laundering complies with warrants in 5 states ? Wilians owns one of the largest corporate law firms in Brazil and has 1.4 million followers on a social network. In September last year, he had also been targeted by the PD for alleged participation in an INSS fraud and embezzlement scheme. In total, 17 search and seizure warrants were issued by the 4th Federal Court of Paraíba, in addition to measures to breach telematic and banking secrecy and kidnapping of up to R$1.1 billion in the states of Paraíba, São Paulo, Sergipe, Rio de Janeiro and Paraná. According to the PF, those investigated will be able to respond, to the extent of their responsibilities, for the crimes of currency evasion, money laundering, in addition to other crimes against the national financial system. In a note, lawyer Santiago Schunck - who represents Nelson Wilians, said that the relationship between his client's office and PixBet "is strictly professional and arises from the provision of legal services". "The firm's actions on behalf of its clients are limited to the regular practice of law, not to be confused with the business activities carried out by them. The firm repudiates any attempt to associate the professional performance of its lawyers with the activities or conduct attributed to its clients", he stated. "Care must be taken to ensure that the legitimate practice of law is not unduly criminalized due to the nature or activities of those the lawyer represents," the note added. g1 tries to contact the defense of the others involved. Nelson Wilians TV Globo's house Operation at the house of lawyer Nelson Wilians TV Globo Ferrari in the garage of Nelson Wilians TV Globo ICMS fraud in SP On July 15, the Interinstitutional Asset Recovery Committee (CIRA/SP) launched an operation against an organization investigated for allegedly selling false ICMS credits to unduly reduce the tax owed to the state. The scheme would have withheld R$3.8 billion in tax credits. One of the main nuclei of the investigated group is linked to an economic group owned by lawyer Nelson Wilians, whose office was also the target of searches at the time. Anne Wilians, Nelson's wife, lawyer and partner, is also among the targets. As well as, in Londrina, the lawyer Mayra de Paula, who according to the investigation is Wilians' “partner” in the frauds. In a note at the time, Wilians' office reported that "the management of the aforementioned operations was the sole responsibility of