Federal MP Euclides Petersen (Republicanos-MG) was the “highest paid person on the bribery list” of the National Union of Family Farmers and Rural Household Entrepreneurs (Conafer), accused of making unjustified union deductions for pensioners and pensioners at the National Social Security Institute (INSS), the Federal Police (PF) said.
According to investigations, Petersen was named “Hero E” among the list of beneficiaries of the scheme. The National Front demanded electronic monitoring of the parliamentarian and that he be obliged to pay bail in the amount of 14.7 million Brazilian reais, “an amount defined as the minimum obtained as a result of the transfers promoted in the benefits of pensioners of the National Institute of Social Security and pensioners.”
The parliamentarian was to receive the amount in order to “secure political protection” for Conaver, by “working to prevent inspections and ensuring that the agreement with the Social Security Authority is maintained.”
The MP was the target of a search and seizure operation, Thursday (13), as part of the fourth phase of the “No Discount” operation. The measure was approved by Minister André Mendonça, of the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The probation request was rejected. The minister said: “Monitoring a member of the Federal Parliament through surveillance, although it is possible and does not make it impossible for him to exercise his mandate, is a measure that requires extreme caution.”
In the same operation, Alessandro Stefanotto, former head of the National Institute of National Security, ordered pretrial detention. According to PF, he received a monthly bribe of R$250,000 from a criminal organization linked to Conaver.
“Stefanotto acted decisively on two fronts: first, to legally facilitate the celebration of the Conafer ACT in 2017; and second, to protect the scheme in his role as INSS president, increasing the monthly bribe to R$250,000,” PF said.
In a statement, the parliamentarian denied any violations, and stated that he believes in justice, “the truth, and the importance of serious investigations that are conducted legally and with complete transparency.” He said: “I have previously been the target of two operations: in one of them I was acquitted, and in the other, the judiciary did not even receive the complaint, due to the lack of evidence proving any criminal practice.”
Conaver stated that it had become aware of “with great concern” the new phase of the “No Discount” process. “We strongly reaffirm the fundamental principle of the rule of law: the presumption of innocence. All those named therein have the procedural and moral right to guarantee their defense and preserve their honor until a final judicial decision is issued to convict them.”
Stefanotto’s defense stated that they were unable to reach the decision that ordered the arrest of the former INSS chief. He also described the matter as “illegal.” “This is a completely illegal arrest, as Stefanotto did not cause any kind of embarrassment to the investigation, as he cooperated with the investigative work from the beginning.”
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