The money would have been embezzled by the boss and a treasury administrator, who handle cash. It is not yet known whether the two incidents are related and whether Santa Casa has reported it to the authorities.
The Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Lisbon (SCML) will have suffered a diversion of around 200 thousand euros by two employees: the head of the treasury and an administrative officer.
According to information collected by , the deviations, carried out throughout 2024, were discovered in December during the closing of accounts. The head of the treasury is suspected of having embezzled 80 thousand euros, while the administrative head allegedly embezzled 120 thousand.
The case generated internal repercussions, with the head of the treasury being suspended by the SCML Board of Directors, while the administrative officer resigned. It is not yet clear whether the cases are related, but the administrative case was the first to be identified. Despite being questioned, SCML refused to comment on whether complaints had been filed with the authorities or whether financial control measures would be implemented, especially in the cash handlingwhich is common in the treasury.
The current provider, Paulo de Sousa, who took office in May 2024, faces an environment of pressure. Since taking office, he has managed a restructuring plan to rebalance the accountsaffected by projects such as the internationalization of social games, which resulted in losses under the previous administration.
To address the integrity crisis at the institution, Paulo de Sousa implemented a Code of Ethics and Conduct in September 2024, requiring all employees to sign a declaration of conflict of interest. This measure sought to reinforce transparency and prevent new irregularities.
In addition to the treasury case, there are other ongoing investigations related to public contracts and awards by the Directorate of Information Systems and Technologies (DISTI). Between 2010 and 2023, technology spending at SCML rose from 89 million to 225 million euroswith the largest increase recorded under the administrations of Edmundo Martinho and Ana Jorge.
Currently, the management of SCML is under scrutiny in seven MP processes, six of which are still in the investigation phase. These investigations include suspected crimes linked to public procurement and were notified to the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry by the former Attorney General of the Republic, Lucília Gago.
