The details of the complaint are not yet known, as the criminal action against Guimarães is proceeding under secrecy. Cases involving harassment, especially sexual harassment, are usually handled in secrecy of Justice, as a way of preserving the privacy of the victims.
The case came to light in the middle of last year, when a report by the portal metropolises revealed the accusations of harassment made by five Caixa employees to the institution’s ombudsman. Other victims appeared after the repercussions, which led Guimarães to be dismissed as president of the bank.
After the revelations, the MPF began to investigate the case, which resulted in the complaint now accepted by the 15th Federal Court of Brasília. The indictment contains testimonies captured on video by the victims, who were questioned by the responsible prosecutors.
With the opening of the criminal action, a new phase of the investigation of the process begins, in which the prosecution and defense may request new steps and, in the end, they must present the final allegations, before the judge’s sentence.
Guimarães is still the target of another lawsuit, this time in the labor area, in which the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT) asks for compensation of R$ 30.5 million for the damage caused by the former president of Caixa.
The executive has always denied all accusations. In a note, the lawyer José Luis Oliveira Lima, who represents Guimarães, said that his client is innocent and that he trusts the Justice. “The defense of Pedro Guimarães categorically denies the commission of any crime and is sure that during the instruction the truth will come out, with his acquittal”, said the defender.
