Frei Chico Union is investigated for improper charges for the benefits of INSS retirees and pensioners
Opposition politicians to the President (PT) mocked on social networks, this Wednesday (23.br.2025), the fact that José Ferreira da Silva, Frei Chico – Lula’s brother – became the operation without discount. He is director and vice president of Sindnapi (National Union of Retirees, Pensioners and Elderly of Força Sindical), one of the entities investigated by alleged irregularities in discounts applied directly on the benefits of retirees and pensioners.
“Everything in Family”, The deputy (PL-RJ) about the case in his official profile in X. The senator (PL-RJ) wrote: “Who would imagine such a thing? They even robbed the retirees!”
The federal deputy (PL-MG) stated that to “Drowning the scandal” More news would come out about the complaint of (Attorney General’s Office) related to in 2022.
The Senator (Republicans-DF) stated that it is not the 1st corruption scandal during the Lula government, and that it should follow “Working so that no crime against the purse is unpunished. ”
The deputy (PL-SP) also talked about the case on social networks: “Urgent! Lula’s brother union is the target of the Federal Police for fraud in the INSS! Who would say”wrote the congressman.
Understand the case
The PF (Federal Police) began the operation on Wednesday (23.abr.br.2025) to investigate a scheme of improper discounts on retirement and pensions of the INSS (National Institute of Social Security). The investigation identified a loss of R $ 6.3 billion to beneficiaries, accumulated from 2019 to 2024.
The operation has already led to 6 servers, including INSS President Alessandro Stefanutto, and the execution of 211 court orders, covering searches and seizures, assets of assets valued at more than $ 1 billion and six temporary arrests.
The action took place in 13 states, including Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Pernambuco, Ceará and the Federal District, with the support of the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU).
The crimes investigated are active and passive corruption, violation of functional confidentiality, document forgery, criminal organization and money laundering. Luxury cars, cash, jewelry and paintings were seized, with values still in survey.
Since 2023, the CGU (Comptroller General of the Union) has identified an increase in cases of unauthorized discounts on social security benefits. Audits in 29 entities with ACTs (technical cooperation agreements) with the INSS and interviews with 1,300 retirees pointed out that, in most cases, discounts were made without consent and that many of these entities were unable to offer the promised services.
In response, the government suspended the ACTs of these entities and interrupted discounts directly on the payroll of the beneficiaries. Harmed retirees and pensioners may request the exclusion of debts through the site or application “My INSS”.