The new phase of the investigation that investigates billion-dollar fraud in discounts applied to the benefits of retirees and pensioners placed former INSS president Alessandro Stefanutto, arrested this Thursday (13), at the center of the scheme.
Documents sent by the corporation to the STF indicate that he received up to R$250,000 per month in bribes paid by Conafer, an affiliated entity that operated irregular discounts through falsified authorizations. The information is from G1.
According to the PF, Stefanutto was a key player in keeping the gear that was structured based on a cooperation agreement signed with the INSS in 2017 running.
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Intercepted messages, seized spreadsheets and transfer orders without proof of affiliation support the suspicion of monthly payments made to the former president — some of them disguised through companies and even a pizzeria.
Via Conafer alone, the estimated loss exceeds R$640 million between 2017 and 2023, without considering deviations involving other entities.
The method included falsifying membership forms, fraudulent inclusion of data in the INSS system and distribution of resources through a group of shell companies and intermediaries.
Former minister mentioned
The PF also attributes a central role to the former Minister of Social Security in the Bolsonaro government, Ahmed Mohamad Oliveira (former José Carlos Oliveira). As director of INSS Benefits and later as minister, Ahmed allegedly authorized illegal transfers and received undue advantages.
A seized spreadsheet records the payment of R$100,000 to the nickname “São Paulo Yasser”, which, according to the PF, was used by the former minister. WhatsApp conversations found on one of the operators’ cell phones show messages of thanks sent by Ahmed after allegedly transferring money.
In one of the episodes mentioned, Ahmed authorized the unblocking and sending of R$15.3 million to Conafer without proof of affiliations required by the Technical Cooperation Agreement. With this, the entity expanded its fraudulent activities, reaching more than 650 thousand social security benefits.
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The size of the schema
The investigations conducted by the PF and the CGU indicate that all the entities involved may have embezzled up to R$6.3 billion between 2019 and 2024.
The fraud was based on the improper inclusion of payroll deduction authorizations, supposedly signed by retirees, but used to justify monthly charges that were never authorized.
Who was arrested
This Thursday’s operation served warrants against former INSS directors, businesspeople and financial operators linked to Conafer and other entities:
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- Alessandro Stefanutto, former president of INSS
- Antônio Carlos Antunes Camilo, the “Careca do INSS”
- André Paulo Felix Fidelis, former Director of Benefits
- Virgílio Antônio Ribeiro de Oliveira Filho, former INSS attorney general
- Thaisa Hoffmann, businesswoman and wife of Virgílio
- Vinícius Ramos da Cruz, president of the Land and Work Institute (ITT)
- Tiago Abraão Ferreira Lopes, director of Conafer
- Cícero Marcelino de Souza Santos, businessman linked to Conafer
- Samuel Chrisostomo do Bonfim Júnior, also linked to Conafer
The investigations remain confidential at the STF.
