The Civil Police carried out, on the morning of this Monday (1st), a contract signed between the City Hall and the ICB (Instituto conhecimento Brasil). The search and seizure warrants target the Municipal Department of Innovation, Karina Ferreira da Gama’s home and the headquarters of two entities commanded by her: the ICB itself and Go UP Entertainment, producer of the film “”, about ().
See what is known about the operation.
What are the main targets of the police operation?
The São Paulo Civil Police carried out an operation to carry out search and seizure warrants at the headquarters of Go UP Entertainment, producer of the film ‘Dark Horse’, about Jair Bolsonaro (PL), at the home of the production company’s owner, Karina Ferreira da Gama, at the headquarters of the Municipal Secretariat of Innovation and Technology and at the headquarters of Instituto Saber Brasil, an entity chaired by Karina.
What motivated the operation?
The operation, authorized by the TJ-SP Guarantee Court, is the result of a police investigation into a contract between the Instituto Saber Brasil and the mayor’s management () at São Paulo City Hall for the provision of free Wi-Fi, worth R$ 108 million.
What were the warning signs detected?
According to Sheet reported last Thursday (28), the Civil Police asked the Court for access to and from the ICB, which it presides over. The request includes financial intelligence reports produced by Coaf (Financial Activities Control Council) on atypical movements and suspicious operations in Karina’s CPF and the institute’s CNPJ.
What crimes are being investigated?
The investigation deals with the crimes of frustrating the competitive nature of the bidding procedure, fraud in the execution of an administrative contract and irregular use of public funds or income.
What is the police’s main suspect?
The police suspect that the Instituto Saber Brasil was irregularly hired by the city hall for a price above the market price, and that payments were made without the services being provided. Each Wi-Fi point contracted by the institute cost R$1,800, while Prodam, a public municipal technology company, provides identical services for R$230 in implementation and R$306 in monthly maintenance per point.
What is the possible connection between municipal funding and the film about Bolsonaro?
The police suspect that part of the money diverted from the Wi-Fi contract was intended for the production of the film ‘Dark Horse’, about Jair Bolsonaro. Financial intelligence elements indicate the potential occurrence of illicit cross-financing, with resources being sent from the institute to the producer, in addition to possible money laundering through subcontracted companies and other social organizations managed by the investigated company.
What is the position of São Paulo City Hall and Karina Ferreira da Gama?
The City of São Paulo stated that it collaborates with the investigations, that all the requested material had already been made available to the authorities and is publicly accessible and that the hiring of the Instituto conhecimento Brasil followed the principles of legality, transparency and economy. Karina denied that the film about Bolsonaro received money from Brazilian people or companies and stated that the hiring by the city hall occurred on a regular basis, with no connection to the film ‘Dark Horse’.
What was Flávio Bolsonaro’s reaction?
“[Não] has nothing to do with the film”, Flávio told journalists when asked about the police action after arriving at an event in Rio de Janeiro this morning. As shown by the portal The Intercept, Flávio Bolsonaro exchanged messages with former banker Daniel Vorcaro asking for financial resources for his father’s film.
