Federal Police enters the investigation into the execution of a PCC whistleblower, and the government is considering federalizing the case

The opened an investigation to investigate the murder of businessman Antônio Vinícius Lopes Gritzbach, aged 38, shot dead in Terminal 2, in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. The investigation will be carried out in conjunction with the State Civil Police, but the federal government is evaluating the possibility of federalizing the case, which would depend on a formal request to the Attorney General’s Office and then approval by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), given the delicate nature of the situation.

Gritzbach, a central figure in the investigations into the (Primeiro Comando da Capital), had signed a plea bargain agreement with the São Paulo Public Ministry (MPSP) in March, pledging to provide detailed information about the criminal faction. He reported on the organization’s modus operandi, as well as the money laundering structure operated by the PCC. The faction had concluded that the businessman embezzled around R$100 million and ordered the execution of two of its members in 2021.

The victim had already been kidnapped by members of the PCC and was tortured during captivity. In the collaboration agreement, approved by the Court in June, Gritzbach presented evidence of his accusations, including bank transfers and contracts, in addition to admitting his involvement in money laundering activities, such as the sale of high-value properties. He lived in a luxury apartment valued at R$10 million and reportedly chose not to accept the protection offered by the MPSP, maintaining his usual routine. Instead, he hired private security from military police officers, now suspected of collaborating with the killers.

The attack at the airport involved 29 shots, 10 of which hit the businessman. Those responsible for the crime fled in a vehicle that was later abandoned and located by the police. In a statement, the São Paulo Public Ministry reiterated its commitment to identifying and holding those responsible for the homicide responsible.

Published by Felipe Dantas