The information that auditors of the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) and Federal Police investigators (PF) gathered as suspected that civil society organizations diverted billions of retirees and pensioners motivated the Federal Court to determine the precautionary removal of five leaders of the National Institute of Social Security (INSS).
In addition to the president of the municipality, linked to the Ministry of Social Security, Alessandro Stefanuttothe director of benefits and relationship with the citizen, Vanderlei Barbosa dos Santos, were removed from his duties; the Attorney General with the INSS, Virgílio Antônio Ribeiro de Oliveira Filho; The General Coordinator of Customer Service Support, Giovani Batista Fassarella Spiecker, and the General Coordinator of Payments and Benefits, Jacimar Fonseca da Silva.
Federal Prosecutor, Stefanutto was at the head of the specialized Attorney General’s Office with the INSS from 2011 to 2017. On July 11, 2023, he assumed the Presidency of the Authority by indicating the Minister of Social Security, Carlos Lupi, who today defended the right of all investigated to the presumption of innocence.
“We want to exemplar any citizen who has made mistakes and crimes […] But everyone is innocent until proven otherwise, ”said Lupi, during a press conference in which the Ministers of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, and CGU, Vinicius de Carvalho, as well as PF Director Andrei Rodrigues, were also attended.
“Doctor Stefanutto’s nomination is my entire responsibility,” added Lupi, commenting on the reason to dismiss the president away from the INSS. “He is a prosecutor, a server who has so far given to us to be exemplary […] If the process [investigação] It’s underway, it’s not me who I have to complete it. I cannot make any kind of decision before the end of the calculation […] Let’s wait for the result, guaranteeing the broad right of defense. Even not to put these people in a bonfire, ”commented the Minister of Social Security.
A few hours later, the Planalto Palace confirmed the resignation of Stefanutto.
Police officer
According to the director general of PF, Andrei Rodrigues, a federal policeman was also dismissed cautiously. “He worked in São Paulo and was linked to this criminal group, providing some kind of support for the group,” said Rodrigues.
“[O agente federal] He took advantage of his position to commit criminal acts. He was the object of search, and ourselves [da PF] We requested your removal, ”added Rodrigues, in detail that, at the request of the investigators, the Federal Court ordered the precautionary removal of the six civil servants and authorized the fulfillment of 211 search and seizure warrants and six temporary arrests, in addition to the abduction of assets of the investigators who, together, total more than $ 1 billion.
According to Rodrigues, the outbreak of the so -called Operation Without Discount this morning is just an important but initial step in an investigation that is just beginning. “This is a complex investigation that is at its beginning and that will certainly have consequences,” said Vinicius de Carvalho, from CGU.
According to PF and CGU, civil society organizations are suspected of illegally discounting retirees and pensioners, and with INSS permission, so -called associative tuition fees – a contribution that retired, pensioners or people of a particular professional category pay periodically to be part of a non -profit association, union or class entity that represents the interests of their general members Social Security (RGPS).
Information provided by the authorities during Wednesday’s press conference indicates that, since 2016, the amount obtained through associative discounts-authorized or not-grew year after year. In 2016, it was R $ 413 million; in 2017, R $ 460 million; In 2018, R $ 617 million and, in 2019, R $ 604 million. By 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the value fell to $ 510 million. In 2021, R $ 536 million were discounted. In 2022, R $ 706 million. In 2023, R $ 1.2 billion. And last year, $ 2.8 billion.
“But it would be hasty to say that all this amount is illegal; that 100% of retirees [que pagam o desconto associativo] They had their consent. Only in the sample that the CGU did, with 1.3 thousand benefits, gave 97% [de fraudes]with the people saying it is not in agreement, not knowing or not authorizing the discount, ”added the Minister of CGU.
For the Minister of Justice and Public Security, the investigators will now try to find out the degree of involvement of each investigated with the alleged scheme. If the participation is proven, they can be responsible for the crimes of active, passive corruption, violation of functional confidentiality, document forgery, criminal organization and capital washing.
“We will still identify the modus operandi From each of the agents involved, something that is not very clear. What we have is a precautionary removal, determined by the court, of certain INSS servants, especially from the institute’s summit, ”concluded Lewandowski.
