Since 2023, a karate entity has received more than R$18 million from state funds to promote sports competitions and offer martial arts classes.
A Sheet analyzed the financial statements sent by the Brazilian Confederation of Interestilos Karate to the government (Republicans) and identified signs of overpricing of around R$1.7 million when hiring suppliers.
Among the examples, a snack kit whose combined items are found on a wholesale website for R$5.13 was purchased for R$12.96; 500 ml water bottles contracted for an average of R$0.95 cost R$2.59; and the rental of a plastic chair negotiated on average for R$4.43 came to R$12.54.
The confederation is not the only martial arts group that has been receiving huge amounts from deputies throughout the current legislature. In 2025, the Brazilian Confederation of Chinese Martial Arts also benefited, with R$7.3 million in amendments, the Valeparaibana League of Martial Arts, with R$4.2 million, and the São Paulo Karate Federation, with R$2 million.
In one weekend at the Mauro Pinheiro gymnasium, in , CBKI spends up to R$1.5 million to promote a competition. Five months of classes in three spaces on the outskirts of the city cost up to R$2 million in amendments. Meanwhile, there are cities in the state that go years without receiving any resources from parliamentarians.
PL deputies Rodrigo Moraes (R$ 5 million), (R$ 3.65 million) and André Bueno (R$ 3.5 million) and former deputy Adriana Borgo (R$ 5 million), from Agir, were those who directed the most amendments to CBKI since 2023.
The report filed 14 requests via the Access to Information Law, asking the Tarcísio government’s state Sports secretariat for work plans, accounts and activity reports delivered by the confederation. Ten amendments paid to CBKI were analyzed, the accounts of which have already been studied and released by the department.
The survey of Sheet It consisted of comparing the unit prices charged by the confederation’s suppliers with prices of similar items negotiated with public bodies throughout Brazil and sold on the private market. To do this, the report used . Prices were also collected in direct consultations with companies in the sector, as well as on online sales sites.
In a statement, CBKI denied having purchased items with values above those offered on the market and stated that all contracts were preceded by price research, with the presentation of at least three quotes from specialized companies. He also said that the financial statements were duly carried out and approved by the state government.
Representative Rodrigo Moraes (PL) stated, in a note, that the parliamentary amendments “are accompanied by rigorous work plans that define objectives, goals and execution schedule”. Deputy André Bueno (PL) said that the financial execution is the responsibility of the entity, that it was not aware of any overpricing and that it “fully supports the investigation of the facts”.
The deputy also stated that the execution of the resources is the exclusive responsibility of the beneficiary. He also said that he will monitor the actions of the control bodies so that responsibilities can be determined.
Licensed deputy Rui Alves (Republicans), municipal secretary of Tourism in the capital, stated that the project he financed, as well as the accountability, passed the scrutiny of the state Sports Secretariat. Deputies Gil Diniz (PL) and former deputy Adriana Borgo (Agir) did not speak.
The Sports Secretariat said, in a note, that all funding terms “strictly follow current legislation and undergo technical, administrative and documentary analysis”.
The ministry stated that the values presented in the work plans are evaluated based on a price reference table from the secretariat, considering the “specific conditions of each contract, such as quantity, logistics, location and execution period”. “If any irregularity is found, the appropriate administrative measures are adopted.”
After carrying out the project or event, the entity benefiting from the amendment needs to forward to the respective secretariat an activity report accounting for the activities carried out, as well as the invoices issued by the contracted suppliers.
The conclusive opinion of one of the amendments paid to CBKI, dated September 25, 2025, was the responsibility of public executive Sueli Maraschim, who was one of the people to endorse the application of resources. Sueli is close to the director of the confederation, Osvaldo Messias de Oliveira, and his daughter, Monica Fernandes Oliveira, directly involved in the events.
On Facebook, the server tagged Monica in a 2017 post, in a space that appears to be a classroom. In another photo, Osvaldo commented about Sueli: “Queen, great woman and friend.”
Another opinion came from public servant Rodney Assis de Andrade, who was once president of the Liga de Judo Paulista.
The Sports secretariat did not answer whether the two servers had the necessary distance to evaluate CBKI’s accounts.
On social media, Monica Fernandes often publishes photos of meetings with secretaries of the Tarcísio government, members of the Sports department and councilors. In one of them, she appears next to and says that she had the pleasure of being received at the official residence at Palácio dos Bandeirantes to talk about CBKI’s work.
OVERPRICING
A Sheet identified that at least five items (snack kit, water, chairs, tablecloths and medals) were contracted by CBKI for prices higher than those practiced in the market.
A snack kit with three items, for example, was purchased for R$12.96. Photos from activity reports indicate that the kit consists of a Nutry cereal bar, a 200 ml processed juice from Nutri and a small cookie with yellow packaging, which appears to be from Bauducco. Added together, the same items, from the same brands, cost no more than R$5.13 on a wholesale website.
The supplier was Evandro Luiz Hengles, a friend of Monica Fernandes on Facebook. Evandro’s wife’s company, Ana Hengles, also issued invoices for the snack kit. The couple also provided 500 ml bottles of water for the price of R$2.59, a value higher than the average of R$0.95 found by the report in other public contracts.
In September 2025, Ana’s company won an electronic auction by the City of Itapecerica da Serra (SP) to provide a variety of snack kits. One of them consisted of three items: a sliced bread sandwich with mozzarella cheese and ham, a piece of fruit and a 200 ml full-fat juice. Ana won the negotiation with a unit price of R$6.89, well below the price agreed with CBKI.
To execute a single amendment, Evandro was hired to deliver more than 50 thousand snacks. Since 2023, he and his wife have received R$3.1 million from the confederation, considering only the state amendments analyzed by the Sheet.
In a note sent to the report, Evandro stated that he practices prices compatible with the market and that the values reflect the quality of the items, as well as the costs involved with labor, packaging, transportation and weekly frequency of deliveries.
Also noteworthy are the contracted prices for renting plastic chairs and large tablecloths. The daily rental of a simple, armless, bistro-style chair cost R$12.54. The average of five prices collected by the report for the same item was R$4.43.
Each microfiber towel, in turn, was rented for R$87.35. THE Sheet consulted eight companies, via the website or telephone, and found an average of R$49.70 for the daily rental of towels of a similar size, made from oxford fabric (most common in the manufacture of this type of item). In three online stores, this fabric and microfiber are sold for similar prices.
In a note, the company Equipafesta stated that the report’s calculations lack technical precision, that prices vary according to size, fabric, finish and assembly complexity and that they also depend on seasonal tables.
Considering only the amendments analyzed by the SheetEquipafesta began acting as a supplier to CBKI at the end of 2024. Before that, chairs and towels were contracted from the company Novo Tempo for the same value — including decimal places.
Equipafesta did not explain the reason for repeating values. Novo Tempo said it does not maintain any links with other suppliers and does not participate in price alignments. He also stated that there was no overpricing for the services provided.
The report was able to analyze only items traded for suspicious values. It was not possible to confirm whether the quantity of products (for example, 1,298 medals for two days of competition) was adequate for each event. THE Sheet also did not analyze more complex items, which could result in greater variation in prices, such as structures for organizing events.
