It divided into 25 investigations an investigation into suspected irregularities in the use of resources from the (Ministry of ) which has, among its targets, a businessman who was a partner of one of (PT’s) children and the ex-wife of another son of the president.
The investigations originate from , which also involves other businesspeople and public agents and investigates suspicions of influence peddling, bidding fraud, overpricing and active and passive.
Those investigated who have a relationship with the president are Kalil Bittar, former partner of Fábio Luís Lula da Silva, , and , who was married to .
The fourth phase of the operation was launched this Thursday (12), focusing on suspected fraud in tenders related to Sumaré (SP). The preventive arrest of a former secretary of Education of the municipality was ordered, in addition to searches and seizures.
The division into 25 investigations aims to give greater focus to the different lines of investigation.
Kalil and Lula’s ex-daughter-in-law were the target of search and seizure last November, in one of the phases of the operation. When contacted, the defenses of both deny that they committed irregularities.
The Federal Police has already presented the first complaint, which deals with suspicions of money laundering and criminal organization of a group of businessmen who dealt with the City of Sumaré. Kalil and Carla were not charged in this case.
The 25 new police investigations opened, says the MPF when contacted by the report, “will probably be the basis for the filing of new complaints”. “However, it is not possible to provide details about the ongoing investigations”, states the agency.
Kalil is the brother of Fernando Bittar, one of the owners of the farm in Atibaia (SP) that led to Lula being convicted in one of the . Lulinha and Kalil too.
In recent weeks, transfers made by Lulinha to Kalil Bittar came to light from the president’s son by the INSS CPI.
Lulinha’s defense justifies that the values referred to the shares that Kalil held in the company G4, of which the president’s son is no longer a partner.
At Coffee Break, the PF and the Public Ministry suspect payments received by Kalil Bittar from Life Tecnologia Educacional, a company involved, according to the bodies, in a scheme of embezzlement and overbilling in city halls in the interior of São Paulo.
According to investigations, Kalil worked in business prospecting for the company owner and is suspected of having relevant importance and participation in the company’s business success before public authorities.
In addition to the account payments, there is mention in the police investigation of Kalil’s use of a BMW that was in the name of the owner of Life.
When contacted, Kalil’s lawyer, Roberto Bertholdo, states that his client did not participate in any activity to bring negotiations between the company Life and public entities.
According to him, the relationship between Kalil and the owner of the technology company took place “exclusively within the scope of providing technical consultancy services for the development of applications in the information technology sector, an activity that falls within the scope of his area of expertise”.
“The receipts occurred in return for the services duly delivered as agreed between the parties”, says Bertholdo, in a note.
“Mr. Kalil, a confident who only worked in professional and absolutely legal activities, made himself available and remains available to all authorities to provide any other clarification that may be necessary”, he adds.
In the case of Carla Ariane Trindade, Lula’s former daughter-in-law, investigators raise suspicions that she acted as a lobbyist and practiced influence peddling in favor of Life.
In investigations, she is identified as a political intermediary and a “facilitator of agreements” for the release of federal funds.
At the time of the investigations, however, she was not prohibited from continuing to hold a position in city hall in the interior of São Paulo or from having contact with other public agents.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office understood that there were no signs that she used this position to commit irregularities, unlike others involved in Coffee Break.
Carla’s defense denies irregularities and said there is “no basis” for measures against her. “The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office itself acknowledged that she did not act in the bids that were the subject of the investigation”, the lawyers tell Sheet.
Carla is considered, in the investigations, as a “person with alleged influence in the federal government”.
The main suspicion is that it would have worked with the government to release resources from the FNDE (National Education Development Fund), a body linked to the Ministry of Education, for the company.
The nucleus in which Kalil and Carla are investigated is that of “political intermediaries (lobbyists) through receipt of undue advantage”.
“A orcrim [organização criminosa] had, at its services, people who do not currently perform public functions, but who have apparent transit and interference in federal public bodies (notably FNDE and MEC) and municipal bodies (city halls), and who used their political influences to receive undue advantages to defend the interests of orcrim”, said the Public Ministry in one of the statements in the process.
“In federal agencies, notably for the release of funds for projects of interest to the criminal group. In city halls, for prospecting new business and expanding Life’s ‘market’, including abroad. With these characteristics, the activities carried out by these investigated went beyond the mere exercise of ‘lobbying’, bringing together elements indicative of the crime of influence peddling.”
At the time of the operation against Kalil and Carla, the MEC reported that agendas at the FNDE with the president of Life did not have any administrative consequences and that the fund does not directly contract suppliers of teaching materials, but funds are transferred to states and municipalities, in charge of acquisition. The report did not locate Life’s defense.
