Investigations, which are part of the second phase of Operation Magna Fraus, take place in Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and Spain
The (PF) launched, this Thursday (30), the second phase of Operation Magna Fraus, with the aim of investigating a scheme that would have diverted more than R$813 million through companies that manage Pix transfers. According to the PF, the money was diverted from accounts used by banks and payment institutions to manage their customers’ Pix transfers.
The investigation has arms at home and abroad, including international arrests with the support of Interpol Argentina and Portugal, in addition to Brazil and Spain – where it had the support of the Central Computer Fraud Brigade of the Spanish National Police.
Warrants
In Brazil, 42 search and seizure warrants and 26 arrest warrants are being executed in Goiânia, Brasília, João Pessoa and Belo Horizonte. Still in Minas Gerais, warrants are being served in the municipalities of Betim and Uberlândia.
In Santa Catarina, the targets of the warrants are located in the cities of Itajaí and Balneário Camboriú; in Bahia, in Camaçari; and, in São Paulo, in the municipality of Praia Grande, in addition to the state capital.
Of the 26 arrests requested from the PF, 19 are preventive and 7 are temporary. Measures were also determined to block assets and valuables, in the order of up to R$640 million.
According to the PF, those investigated are suspected of having committed crimes of hacking a computer device and theft through electronic fraud, in addition to money laundering.
First phase
The first phase of Operation Magna Fraus was launched in July, with the aim of investigating a “criminal group responsible for laundering money from fraud and hacking electronic devices”. Temporary arrest warrants were issued, as well as search and seizure warrants in Goiás and Pará.
At the time, the PF reported that it was investigating the actions of “suspects specialized in the use of advanced cryptoactive trading techniques, used to hide and disguise the origin and ownership of illicit values, making their traceability difficult”.
*With information from Agência Brasil
Published by Nícolas Robert
