This Thursday morning (9), the PF (Federal Police) carries out another phase of the “No Discount” operation, which investigates unauthorized associative discounts on INSS (National Institute of National Insurance) pensions.
66 search and seizure warrants are being executed in the states of São Paulo, Sergipe, Amazonas, Rio Grande do Norte, Santa Catarina, Pernambuco, Bahia and the Federal District. The warrants were issued by the STF (Supreme Federal Court).
According to the Federal Police, “today’s action aims to deepen investigations and clarify the practice of crimes such as inserting false data into official systems, setting up a criminal organization and acts of concealment and property dilapidation.”
Since the billion-dollar fraud scheme was revealed in April, investigators have launched a series of operations. In the most recent one, on September 12, , known as “Careca do INSS”, and businessman Maurício Camisotti.
The “Careca do INSS” would be an intermediary for unions and associations, receiving the resources that were unduly debited from retirees and pensioners, and passing on part of them to employees of the Institute or family members and companies linked to them.
The PF states that, in total, individuals and legal entities linked to “Careca do INSS” received R$53,586,689.10 directly from associative entities or through their companies.
Camisotti is now being investigated as one of the final beneficiaries of fraud involving associations linked to beneficiaries. The businessman has denied the accusations.
When the scheme was revealed, authorities estimated a loss of around R$6 billion involving representative entities and associations.
Statement to the INSS CPMI
In a statement to the INSS CPMI (Mixed Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) on the 25th, “Careca do INSS” denied that his companies were linked to fraud at the Institute.
He also stated that he began working in the area in 2017, through the sale of an application that provided services such as discounts at pharmacies and life insurance. The businessman denied, however, that he had recruited associates or accessed the INSS system.
*With information from Caio Junqueira, Emilly Behnke, from CNN Brasil, and Agência Câmara
