Almost 1.5 million retirees and pensioners of the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) requested the reimbursement of discounted payroll monthly fees of their benefits without authorization.
The number of beneficiaries who contested the discounts and requested the money back, from 1,467,933 in four days, was updated on Saturday, 17, by the INSS. The government has promised to reimburse all people injured by the fraud in discounts.
Requests were made after the unconsequently -triggered operation, triggered by the Federal Police and the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU), which investigate a fraud scheme in monthly fees charged by unions and associations and discounted directly on the payroll of INSS beneficiaries without authorization.
Police suspect money laundering, corruption and illicit enrichment involving government officials. The then president of the INSS, Alessandro Stefanutto, and other leaders were removed from the positions. The Minister of Social Security, Carlos Lupi, resigned and was replaced by the executive secretary of the portfolio, Wolney Queiroz.
According to the INSS, 1,494,956 consultations were made from Wednesday, 14, until this Saturday, 17, and 1,467,933 beneficiaries (98%) did not authorize the discounts and requested the refund-the discounted amount was not disclosed. Another 27,023 recognized that they authorized the payment of tuition. The information was given by the my INSS application and the central 135. In total, 41 entities were challenged.
Associations have up to 15 business days to respond to each contestation. If the entity does not prove that the discount has been authorized, it must reimburse to the INSS, which will deposit the amount in the beneficiary’s account.
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If the Association proves the authorization, the beneficiary may present another defense. If there is no solution by the entity, the case will be referred to the Attorney General of the Union (AGU), which may enter court to ensure compensation.
The government states that retirees will be reimbursed with the blocked money of the assets of the investigated associations and, if the amount is not sufficient, it allows to spend funds from the Union to restore the values to the impaired persons.
On Thursday, 15, Minister Wolney Queiroz said in the Senate that all injured retirees will receive the money back. In an interview with Estadãothe prosecutor Hebert Mesquita, who commands the investigation into the Federal Public Prosecution Service (MPF), said it was “very difficult” to cover the losses with the goods blockages of those involved, which could drag the solution and lead the government to put funds from the budget in the return.
