The Third Criminal Commission of the Court of Justice of the Federal District and the Territories (TJDFT) accepted, on Thursday, the appeal of the Public Ministry of the DF and the Territories (MPDFT) and made Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique also indicted on charges of embezzlement. The decision was made one day after the red and black team won the Brazilian league title.
The decision appeals a case that was already pending in federal district court. In July, Judge Fernando Brandini Barbagallo, of the 7th Criminal Court, accepted the deputy’s complaint and made the player and his brother, Wander Nunes Pinto Jr., defendants on charges of fraud in a sports competition. The episode includes the match between Flamengo and Santos, which takes place in the 31st round of the 2023 Brazilian Championship, which will be held in Brasilia.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Bruno Henrique had previously shared information that he would receive a yellow card during the match, in favor of his brother’s sports bets. The investigation indicates that the athlete deliberately acted to be punished in the show, with the aim of achieving a financial advantage.
The July decision said: “The police investigation presented elements indicating that the accused, Bruno Henrique, would have acted intentionally in order to punish him with the card in the match under investigation, and that Wander Nunes would have contributed to his brother’s actions by encouraging him to behave in this way, with the aim of obtaining some financial advantage.”
The General Sports Law criminalizes “fraud by any means or contributing to fraud in any way regarding the outcome of a sporting competition or a sporting event related to it.” Based on this ruling, Bruno Henrique and Wander became defendants and could be sentenced to sentences ranging from two to six years in prison, in addition to a fine.
In a statement, lawyer Felipe Carvalho, who represents the attacker, criticized the Third Committee’s decision and said he received news of the trial “with indignation.” He pointed out, “With confidence in the judiciary, the appeal will be submitted by the defense to the competent authorities, which will once again show the clear error in the complaint.”