CGU determines use of recordings edited by associations to simulate discount authorizations for retirees benefits
The CGU (Comptroller General of the Union) began an investigation into retirees and pensioners of the INSS (National Institute of Social Security).
The practice, nicknamed “Fraud Fraud”involves edited recordings to simulate discount authorizations for social security benefits. The investigation began on July 24, when compensation began to retirees affected by improper discounts. The information is from the site Metropolis.
Listen to the edited audios:
In one of the analyzed cases, Ambec (Mutualist Retirees Association for Collective Benefits) presented a recording in which an attendant calls a beneficiary “Vera Lúcia”, Which confirms adhesion to the benefit club and says “Authorize” at the end of the call.
Listen to the audio (4m12s):
In a note sent to Poder360Ambec stated that “Audio capture is a task provided by bank correspondents who practice the activity of capturing new members for Ambec, as well as for other entities and banks throughout Brazil.” Read the full at the end of this text.
Another case under investigation shows a retiree responding only “sim”. Investigators suspect manipulation to change the meaning of the response.
On July 24, INSS President Gilberto Waller Júnior confirmed in an interview with the radio CBN that organizations have tried to defraud the reimbursement using false signatures and edited audios.
The associations involved in the scheme are linked to the entrepreneur, investigated by the PF (Federal Police) on suspicion of having frauduled more than $ 40 million with irregular discounts, and pays bribes to INSS directors.
Mauricio Camisotti’s defense declared to Metropolis what “Benfix, a company from which Maurício Camisotti has been a partner since 2006, has been hired to provide professional technological and administrative management to associations.” and that acts “Totally independently”.
Already the CGU stated, also in a note sent to this digital newspaper, that “The investigation, so far, demonstrated the complexity of the facts and multiplicity of entities involved. Thus, it was determined the establishment of 33 IPSS in the face of 38 associations, with the objective of better instructing the analysis regarding specific facts or entities”.
Sought by Poder360the INSS advised that this digital newspaper would contact CGU.
This is the full CGU note:
“Initially, it is necessary to clarify that the performance of the CGU, as regards the administrative liability of legal entities for the practice of harmful acts, is precipitously supported by the provision contained in Article 8, § 2 of Law No. 12,846/2013. Indeed, said the CGU, under the Federal Executive Power, the competing competence to establish administrative proceedings of legal persons or to summon the processes established based on this Law, to examine their regularity or to correct their progress.
The calculation of liability based on Law No. 12,846/2013 was still subject to regulation, pursuant to Decree No. 11.129/2022. Such regulation states that, as a general rule, the calculation of a possible harmful act of Law No. 12.846/2013 is initially through preliminary investigation that aims to determine the existence of evidence of authorship and materiality that justify the establishment of administrative liability proceedings.
In this line, the investigation, so far, demonstrated the complexity of the facts and multiplicity of entities involved. Thus, it was determined the establishment of 33 IPSS in the face of 38 associations, with the objective of better instructing the analysis regarding specific facts or entities.
In addition, as a preliminary unfolding, the CGU requested that the AGU (General Advocacy of the Union) the adoption of judicial precautionary measures in the face of the 12 associations mentioned in the police inquiry resulting from the Operation without Discount, which investigates fraud in associative discounts linked to INSS social security benefits:
ASABSP – Association of Assistance and Charitable Support for Retirees Servers and Pensioners of Brazil
AAPEN (ABSP) – APNN BENEFITS
Aapps Universe – Association of Retirees and Pensioners of the General Social Security Regimes
AAPB – Association of Retirees and Pensioners of Brazil
ASBRAPI – Brazilian Association of Pensioners and Elderly Retirees
CEBAP – Center for Studies for Retirees and Pensioners Benefits
UNASPUB – National Union for Aid for Public Servants
APBRASIL – Association in Brazil of Retirees and Pensioners of Social Security
Ambec – Mutualist Retirement Association for collective benefits
CBPA – Brazilian Confederation of Fisheries and Aquaculture Workers
CAAP – Retirement and Pensioners Assistance Box
APDAP PREV (HEARING) – RETURN AND PENSIONISTS RIGHTS PROTECTION AND DEFENSE ASSOCIATION
With the advancement of the analyzes, there was a complementary request from the CGU for the AGU to take judicial precautionary measures in relation to other legal entities about which indications were identified that point to possible action as intermediaries of improper advantage payments.
In addition, CGU has sparked the 12 INSS administrative liability (PARS) processes in the face of the associations mentioned above, with the objective of concentrating and coordinating investigations under the conduct of this central body, ensuring more integrated and effective action in the findings.
It is important to highlight that, as investigations are still underway, it is possible that the deepening of the analysis by the technical team leads to the opening of new accountability processes, as well as the request of other judicial measures ”.
This is the full note of Ambec:
“Ambec, through its lawyers Daniel Bialski, Bruno Borragine and André Bialski, informs that it is not his responsibility to practice audio capture activity that confirmed the free affiliation of the beneficiary Mrs. Martha Lopes Camargo.
Audio capture is a task provided by bank correspondents who practice the activity of capturing new members to Ambec, as well as for other entities and banks throughout Brazil. These bank correspondents, after performing the affiliation procedure, send to Ambec an affiliation kit containing: (i) authorization form; (ii) personal documents; (iii) and the aforementioned audio resulting from a connection made by the bank correspondent.
Ambec, revisiting its files, states that it received the “Kit” of affiliation of the correspondent Bank Balcao das Opportunities and Administrative Services Ltda. and passed such a kit to the INSS PDMA system, according to the normative instruction itself that regulates this theme. Ambec cannot be held responsible for collecting audio because it is not responsible for its capture. Nor can it be held responsible for any documents exchanged at the time of processing and manipulating document organization after sent and internalized in the INSS PDMA system.
It is known that the INSS PDMA system itself, perhaps due to the volume of information and documents sent by all entities that maintained the ACT with the INSS, has been facing problems of instability and systemic non-organization in the organization of data and documents, and this may be the reason for confusion in the present case. A writ of mandamus was filed by Ambec in the judiciary to narrate the possible data exchanges of associates in the INSS PDMA system.
It is reinforced, therefore, that the Association identified the audio regarding the beneficiary Mrs. Martha Lopes Camargo, resulting from a connection made by the corresponding Balcao of Opportunities and Administrative Services Ltda., Which is properly filed and available. This is why Ambec has already notified the INSS requesting the proper correction.
The ostensible activity of capturing and prospecting for possible associates is noted not to be carried out by the association or their employees, but by private companies that carry out bank correspondent activity.
Therefore, if any kind of fraud and/or addiction of consent there was, suchDuta occurred at the time of the prospecting and affiliation of new members, an activity provided by private companies and not by Ambec. If any fraud has occurred, the association is as victim as its associates.
Finally, we highlight the seriousness of the Association, which has a known headquarters, president, secretary, and a collective of its own and operational employees, as well as a robust compliance program, able to justify the smoothness of its activities, all for the sake of welfare and improving the quality of life of ‘senior age’ ”.
Sao Paulo, July 25, 2025.
