Parliamentarian is accused of organizing a criminal organization that embezzled hundreds of millions of reais from INSS pensions
Federal deputy Gorete Pereira (MDB-CE) spoke this Tuesday (17), after being (PF)which investigates a national scheme of unauthorized associative discounts in thousands of retirements and pensions from the National Social Security Institute (INSS). The parliamentarian will have to use electronic ankle bracelet and if collect at home at nightby determination of the minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and rapporteur of Operation Without Discount in the Court, André Mendonça.
In a statement, Gorete Pereira says that it did not commit any “illegal act” and that its trajectory has always been “guided by integrity”. Furthermore, the parliamentarian informed that her defense is already analyzing the content of Mendonça’s decision. Read the note in full:
Federal deputy Gorete Pereira reiterates that she did not commit any illegal act and that the information disclosed does not reflect the reality of the facts.
His public career of more than 40 years has always been guided by integrity.
The parliamentarian informs that her defense is already analyzing the content of the decision.
Lawyer Dr. Waldir Xavier will respond in due course after a detailed analysis of the case.
Confident in due legal process, the deputy reaffirms her commitment to legality and transparency.
Accused of organizing a criminal organization
Gorete Pereira is pointed out by the PF and the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) as “relevant member” e political organizer of a criminal organization what embezzled hundreds of millions of reais from the INSS. According to the investigation, the parliamentarian worked in the enabling structured fraud to make undue discounts e unauthorized benefits for retirees and pensioners.
According to the investigations, which were the basis for Mendonça’s decision, Gorete controlled façade associative entities used in the scheme. She had powers of attorney with broad legal powers to negotiate and sign Technical Cooperation Agreements directly with the INSS, which allowed the growth of illicit discounts.
The deputy used his political influence to pressure public servants e speed up processeskeeping direct contact with the highest management of the organizationlike former INSS president Alessandro Stefanutto e directors of Dataprev.
“It is possible to identify in the collection of documents attached to these files that Maria Gorete Pereira frequently contacted INSS employees, including Stefanutto, to, through payment of bribes, facilitate the accreditation and activation of associations of retirees with which she had a relationship”, says the document.
The inquiry also revealed that the parliamentarian obtained millionaire gains from fraud. Gorete’s name appears on a tuition payment spreadsheet seized by the PF with the exact value of R$ 780,433.50. To hide the receipt of illicitly obtained funds, the deputy used accounts from shell companies, such as “SOP Processamento de dados LTDA”, registered in the name of her niece, Sofia Lilia Freitas Pereira.
“The Federal Police also demonstrates that the aforementioned Federal Deputy received significant amounts in her bank account as well as making transfers linked to the scheme. In a message sent by NATJO to CECÍLIA, the person being investigated mentions, with a certain nonconformity, that he was worried about the events and news, but ‘AND GORETE earning 1.5 million'”, states the decision.
With the money embezzled, the niece’s company was used to buy a luxury apartment rated at more than R$4.4 million. The breaches of confidentiality showed that R$1.1 million of this amount came directly from Gorete’s personal bank accountand construction documents on the property listed it as the contracting clientwhich proves that the property belonged to him.
Furthermore, messages intercepted by the Federal Police showed that the deputy agreed to receive illicit transfers through the law firm of another investigated to give greater “credibility” to the money. The parliamentarian’s travel expenses were also covered by members of the scheme.
