Four people suspected of defrauding credit operations granted by Caixa Econômica Federal to more than a hundred companies were arrested, this Wednesday morning (6), by the Federal Police (PF) as part of Operation Smart Fake.
In addition to the temporary arrests, federal agents also carried out 12 search and seizure warrants at residential and commercial addresses related to those investigated in the cities of Teresina and Pedro II, in Piauí; and in Timon, Maranhão.
The court orders were authorized by the 3rd Federal Court of Justice, which also ordered the seizure of the suspects’ assets. They are part of a criminal group being investigated for embezzling more than R$20 million from public coffers.
According to the PF, the investigation into the alleged scheme began with a complaint made by a businessman from the capital of Piauí, Teresina. According to the corporation, the whistleblower revealed that those under investigation asked Caixa for fraudulent credit for their company.
Still according to the businessman, all the bureaucratic procedures for the public bank to grant the money were mediated by a person later identified by investigators and who, in order to obtain credit from the complainant’s company, presented false documents, even defrauding the company’s billing. enterprise.
After identifying the intermediary, federal police officers discovered other irregular contracts, signed since 2022. 179 suspicious contracts made with 115 CNPJs (National Register of Legal Entities) have already been identified. Some companies stood out due to the volume of defaulted loans, over R$800,000 each.
In addition to the lack of payment on loans granted by Caixa, the investigators also detected suspicious movements and other inconsistencies and irregularities, such as the fact that the CNPJs of several companies were downloaded or unfit at the Federal Revenue Service.
Those involved may be liable for the crimes of qualified embezzlement, criminal organization, falsification of documents, in addition to others that may be identified during the investigation.
