Federal Police investigates million-dollar fraud in public contracts in Rio de Janeiro

Agents went out to execute 12 search and seizure warrants in Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias.

The investigation began with information collected after analyzing a cell phone seized in Operation Anáfora, which took place in September 2022 and June of this year.

"The possible frauds began in 2020 and were successively renewed, generating million-dollar contracts. In the first 3 years alone the amount exceeded R$62 million", informed the PF.

“The investigation points to possible coordinated action between businesspeople, public officials and third parties, with signs of overpricing of tenders, diversion of public resources and financial transactions to pay undue advantages, in addition to the concealment of the illicit origin of the amounts obtained from the frauds perpetrated”, he explained.

The facts under investigation may characterize the crimes of criminal organization, bid fraud, embezzlement and money laundering.