INSS fraud: AGU expands action and requests freezing of assets of 14 people under investigation

Summary AGU expands action against fraud at INSS, requesting the freezing of assets of 14 people under investigation, including companies and individuals suspected of intermediating illicit payments and diverting R$23.8 million from retirees and pensioners.

The Attorney General's Office (AGU) requested this Friday, the 9th, the Federal Court to freeze the assets and financial resources of 14 more individuals and legal entities involved in a scheme of irregular discounts on benefits for INSS retirees and pensioners . The new request, made through an addendum to the precautionary action filed on Thursday, the 8th, includes six companies and eight partners accused of intermediating the payment of undue benefits to public agents.

The measure responds to a request from the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU), which pointed out the need to increase the number of people under investigation, based on the findings of Operation Sem Desconto . The AGU also requires the suspension of the companies' financial activities, in addition to the lifting of the banking and tax secrecy of those involved.

"The ongoing investigations reveal strong evidence that the companies mentioned directly participated in the intermediation of millions in funds," the petition states. According to the AGU, the group worked to pass on the amounts irregularly discounted by associations to INSS employees who facilitated or allowed the discounts. The undue transfer to public agents already totals R$23.8 million.

Among the new targets of the action are:

• Eric Fidelis Individual Law Firm, and its partner Eric Douglas Martins Fidelis
• Rodrigues and Lima Associate Lawyers, and its partner Cecília Rodrigues Mota
• Xavier Fonseca Consulting Ltda., and its partner Maria Paula Xavier da Fonseca Oliveira
• Acca Business Consulting, and its partners Romeu Carvalho Antunes, Milton Salvador de Almeida and Antonio Carlos Camilo Antunes
• Arpar Administration, Participation and Enterprise SA, and its partner Rodrigo Moraes
• WM System Informatics Ltda., and its partner Anderson Claudino de Oliveira

The AGU claims that the companies were used as instruments for illicit practices, including for the purpose of disguising the origin of the diverted resources.

The CGU also cited the company BF01 Participações Societárias and the former INSS benefits director André Fidélis. Neither have yet been included in the action, but the AGU reported that it is awaiting additional information to decide on possible legal measures. Regarding the public servants involved, a preparatory procedure was instituted for a future action for administrative misconduct.

In the original action, filed on Thursday, the AGU had already requested the blocking of R$2.56 billion in assets belonging to 12 associations and their directors.