…Researched and contributed by Joseph Benjamin.
A child psychologist and the wife of Flamengo footballer Pedro, Fernanda Nogueira, has reportedly been indicted for money laundering along with her father, businessman Vanderlei Goncalves Nogueira, and 24 others.
The Rio Grande do Sul Civil Police seized high-end vehicles in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro on Friday, 14 April, as part of an investigation into criminal activities, which involved laundering illegal gambling money through legitimate companies.
Two armoured Toyota Hilux vehicles were reportedly seized, and authorities claim that they were the result of money laundering.
Accusations against Fernanda Nogueira
The police allege that Fernanda Nogueira and her father were partners in a family company that dealt with rental properties in Rio Grande do Sul, and that this company was used to launder illegal gambling money.
The police investigator Filipe Bringhenti said that “The investigation indicted 24 people, including family members and others. Those investigated laundered money from a criminal misdemeanour, in a Jogo do Bicho case.”
Jogo do Bicho: Brazil’s Popular Gambling Game
Jogo do Bicho is an illegal gambling game in Brazil, yet it is widely played throughout the country.
Bringhenti said that “The revenue from the Jogo do Bicho is invested in these companies so that it appears to the authorities that it is legal money, sold or supplied to these companies.”
The police stated that Pedro Guilherme Abreu dos Santos, better known as Pedro, who played for the Brazilian national football team at the World Cup in Qatar, is not a focus of the case.
Commentary
Money laundering remains a significant problem worldwide, with criminals continuing to find ways to obscure the origin of their illicit gains.
This case highlights the extent to which illegal gambling can be used to launder money, with the criminals investing the proceeds in legitimate companies to hide the origin of the funds.
It also shows that the authorities are taking these crimes seriously, as they have indicted 24 people, including family members of the accused.
The fact that Pedro Guilherme Abreu dos Santos, a top-flight footballer, is not the focus of the case, shows that the authorities are investigating the crime and not targeting individuals based on their fame or wealth.