Research investigates irregular associative discounts on retirement and pensions of institute beneficiaries
The Federal Police seized around R$2.5 million this Tuesday morning (March 17, 2026) in operation Indébito, an offshoot of operation Sem Desconto, which investigates a national scheme of unauthorized associative discounts on retirement and pensions of INSS beneficiaries.
According to the PF, the values are still preliminary estimates and can be updated. €15,750 and R$142,634 were seized, totaling R$237,291.50, in addition to approximately R$2.27 million in vehicles. 21 glasses and 15 bags were also collected.
19 search and seizure warrants, 2 arrest warrants and other precautionary measures were executed in Ceará and the Federal District. Among the targets is the federal deputy (MDB-CE), suspected of maintaining links with INSS authorities and acting to obtain illicit advantages in the federal administrative structure.
See images of the operation:
Targets
Federal deputy Maria Gorete Pereira will start using an electronic ankle bracelet as determined by Minister André Mendonça, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court). Gorete, as she is known, took up a seat in the Chamber in December last year. In January 2026, he left the PL and to the MDB, which in Ceará is former president of the Senate and now federal deputy.
In addition to Gorete, the following were targets:
- Natjo de Lima Pinheiro – businessperson;
- Cecília Rodrigues Mota – lawyer and former president of the Aapen association (National Association of Retirees and Pensioners) and AAPB (Brazilian Association of Retirees and Pensioners).
In the petition ( – PDF – 335 kB), Mendonça says that the deputy “emerges in the body of evidence presented by the Federal Police as a relevant member of the criminal group, active in the political and operational articulation of fraudulent associations”.
In a note, the deputy’s advisor reiterates that she did not practice “any unlawful act” and that the information disclosed “does not reflect the reality of the facts”.
