The court of São Paulo accepted on Tuesday (22) the complaint offered by MP-SP (Public Prosecutor of São Paulo) and made defendants the president removed from Corinthians, Augusto Melo, former club directors and a businessman for criminal association, money laundering and theft.
The MP asks the accused to pay R $ 40 million compensation to the São Jorge Parque Association. The agency also requested the court to block assets of individuals and legal entities cited in the investigation.
Now, the course of the process will have hearings, testimonials and evidence production to subsequently a decision of the judge.
As has been done since the beginning of the inquiry about alleged irregularities in the Sponsorship Agreement with the Betting House Vaidebet, Augusto denied the accusations. His defense maintains that he “has no involvement with any irregularities linked to the case.”
According to MP-SP, there was irregularity in the payment of commissions at the closing of the contract in early 2024. Prosecutors maintain that “the tortuous and illegal paths that the money from the moment came from the Corinthians coffers are very clear.”
The whole case is linked to the sponsorship announced by Augusto Melo in his early days in the presidency of Corinthians, an agreement of R $ 370 million for three years with Vaidebet. Then questions arose about the payment of committee to the company Social Media Design, owned by Alex Cassundé, who also became a defendant.
In their inquiry, the Civil Police concluded that Cassundé “was not the intermediary”. He also pointed out that his insertion in the business configured “cunning simulation to unmistakably enable the club’s financial resources to be illegally diverted.” After the police was indicated, the prosecutor took the case ahead and has now offered the complaint.
Vaidebet announced in June last year the unilateral termination of the contract with Corinthians, pointing out damage to their image. Augusto Melo then faced political pressures at the club, it was eventually removed from the presidency in May this year in a vote on the Deliberative Council.
A general meeting of members in Parque São Jorge is scheduled for August 9. Members of the black and white association will decide for the definitive removal – with the marking of indirect elections, to the conclusion of the mandate, by the end of 2026 – or the return of the president to his chair.
