Name of Cláudio Castro and deputies appear on list of bookworm arrested in Rio

(FOLHAPRESS) - The name of the former governor of Rio de Janeiro Cláudio Castro (PL) and federal and state deputies appear on lists seized by the Federal Police and attributed to the bicheiro Adilson Oliveira Coutinho Filho, known as Adilsinho, one of the targets of Operation Unha e Carne this Thursday (2).

The names of politicians are associated with financial values in the document. Initially, investigators suspect that it is a campaign slush fund, but investigations are still ongoing to analyze the contexts of possible transfers.

When contacted, the former governor's defense says in a note that "any inference that he received payment, illegal donation, undue advantage or any transfer of resources" attributed to the bicheiro is false.

"The simple mention of a name on a list or annotation produced by a third party does not prove receipt of amounts, electoral irregularity or the practice of any illicit act. Cláudio Castro's 2022 campaign was regularly declared to the Electoral Court, with accounts presented and analyzed in accordance with the legislation", says the note.

"Cláudio Castro is not the target of the aforementioned operation and there is no formal charge against him related to the reported facts. The defense reaffirms that the former governor was always available to the competent authorities to provide all necessary clarifications."

Lawyer Ricardo Braga, who defends Adilsinho, said that his client "rejects the allegation of payment of undue advantages to politicians or public agents".

The names of the other politicians on the list remain confidential.

The bookie was already arrested, but was the target of a new arrest warrant issued by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court).

The mention of the former governor on the bicheiro list was initially published by the G1 website and confirmed by Folha.

Castro is already the target of PF investigations for his relationships with businessman Ricardo Magro, linked to the Refit Group, and with former banker Daniel Vorcaro, owner of Banco Master. He denies the suspicions.

After being the target of two PF operations within an interval of 11 days in May this year, the former governor withdrew his pre-candidacy for the Senate.

In this Thursday's operation, arrest warrants were issued against the former president of Alerj (Rio's Legislative Assembly) Rodrigo Bacellar and pastor Márcio Poncio. Like Adilsinho, Bacellar was also already in prison. Bacellar and Poncio's defense also did not take a position.

Bacellar's defense denied his participation in the facts investigated. Poncio's lawyers did not return contact for the report.

Operation Nail and Flesh has already investigated suspected leaks of confidential information that would have benefited Comando Vermelho.

The PF investigates, in this Thursday's action, suspicions of money laundering carried out by the leadership of the new game of the animal and possible ramification of the scheme among members of the Executive and Legislative branches of Rio.

According to the Federal Police, the new phase of the operation originated from the analysis of spreadsheets seized in Adilsinho's possession. The documents would contain records of alleged improper payments, electoral donations and parallel accounting used to hide the movement of illicit resources.

The notes would also indicate possible direct transfers of money to political agents in the State of Rio de Janeiro, a hypothesis that became one of the main lines of investigation.

In addition to the three preventive arrest warrants (i.e., without a deadline), 14 search and seizure warrants were served in the cities of Rio and São João de Meriti (Baixada Fluminense). Moraes ordered the blocking of assets and values ??of up to R$22 million.

"This new phase began after the seizure of lists in the possession of the known criminal indicated the existence of records related to alleged undue payments, electoral donations and accounting linked to money laundering", says the PF.

"The lists caught the attention of researchers because they pointed out possible direct transfers of values to political agents in the State of Rio de Janeiro."

One of the targets was former federal deputy Marco Antônio Cabral (Solidariedade), son of former governor Sérgio Cabral. He denied any participation in a criminal organization.

The PF did not disclose the names of the other targets. The case is under judicial secrecy.

PF targets Bacellar and pastor Márcio Poncio in operation on the branch of the animal game in the Executive and Legislative branches of Rio

Bacellar and Adilsinho were already arrested, but were subject to new warrants, and Poncio was arrested in the morning. The warrants were issued by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court)