The São Paulo Civil Police carried out an operation this Wednesday morning (21) against Douglas Schwartzmann, deputy director of grassroots football, Mara Casares, ex-wife of Julio Casares, the club’s retired president, and Rita Adriana, former women’s, cultural and events director, in an investigation against the illegal sale of boxes at Morumbis, the São Paulo Futebol Clube stadium.
Four search and seizure warrants were executed.
Money, documents and notes were found at the addresses linked to them.
Renata Adriana could not be found at her address. Her children, who were at the scene, reported that she currently lives at another address. At the scene, however, the police say they seized notes of interest to the investigation.
R$20,000 in cash were seized at Mara Casares’ residence, as well as “abundant documentation” and a computer.
The police did not find Douglas Schwartzmann at home. Teams discovered he is out of the country. His children welcomed the police, who are currently searching.
The club’s advisor told the Sheet that the team is a victim and will contribute to the investigation.
“São Paulo Futebol Clube is a victim in this case and will contribute to the authorities in the investigation”, he declared.
The São Paulo Deliberative Council approved on Friday (16) the removal of Julio Casares from the club’s presidency. In the impeachment vote, 188 councilors voted against his remaining in office. There were 45 votes to reject the request and two blank votes.
Casares’ fall is a consequence of the meltdown of his political capital, caused by a series of scandals that shook the administration. Vice-president Harry Massis Junior, 80, assumes the role on an interim basis.
The dismissal request, filed on December 23, is based on suspicion of irregular use of Morumbis boxes during shows.
In December, the website ge.com released audios that would indicate an alleged scheme of clandestine ticket sales from a box reserved for the president on days of musical events at the stadium.
After the material was released, Mara Casares, then women’s, cultural and events director and ex-wife of the president, and Douglas Schwartzmann, deputy director of grassroots football, stepped down from their positions.
In recent weeks, while the box case was gaining repercussion, the Civil Police already had an open investigation, with different investigation fronts: one on alleged irregularities in the football department and another related to the bank accounts of São Paulo Futebol Clube and Julio Casares.
The Civil Police investigates, for example, the receipt of R$1.5 million in cash deposits into the leader’s personal accounts. Another line of investigation tries to clarify the making of 35 withdrawals from the club’s accounts between 2021 and 2025, totaling R$11 million.
Lawyers Daniel Bialski and Bruno Borragine, who represent Casares, stated that the financial movements highlighted in the Coaf report “have a lawful and legitimate origin, compatible with the evolution of the financial capacity” of the director.
According to the defense, before assuming the presidency of São Paulo, Casares held senior management positions in the private sector, with high pay. The origin of the resources, say the lawyers, will be clarified throughout the investigations, with the presentation of documents and tax declarations.
