The promise of easy money, miraculous discounts and seemingly legal businesses resulted in a series of losses, despair and debt for a simple family from Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina.
A doorman and his mother, a day laborer, who had always survived through great efforts after the death of their father from cancer, saw the financial stability built over years of hard work be completely ruined by an embezzlement scheme attributed to Gustavo Real Rabelo, known as the “King of Miles.”
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“My mother is a warrior. My father died of cancer when I was six years old, and she raised my brother and me in the household. We are simple and decent people. I never imagined that this could happen,” reports the main victim, still shaken.
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Start of the coup
The contact with Gustavo Real Rabelo took place on May 8, when he proposed a service that seemed advantageous: paying bills with a discount of up to 50%, allegedly through an air miles system. With a modest doorman’s salary, the victim decided to test the service by paying for a car worth R$500. The bill was not cleared, but Gustavo returned the money and made the payment anyway, citing “courtesy”, which helped create trust.
Then come the “totally legal” electronics offers, with invoice and fast delivery. A 65-inch television was purchased and delivered. The victim’s brother, Luciano Alves, purchased another 55-inch television, which also arrived correctly. Everything seemed regular.
Excited by the deliveries and believing he was dealing with serious business, the doorman accepted an invitation to act as a salesman for the Mais Milhas company, registered in the name of Wilson Real Rabelo, Gustavo’s father. The promise of extra income sounded like hope to those who had always lived on a limited budget.
Injured customers
Several products were sold: iPhone 16 Pro Max, televisions and PlayStation 5. First, the merchandise arrived, reinforcing the credibility of the device. In total, around 25 customers made purchases.
As sales increased, products stopped arriving. Gustavo then alleged a supposed general strike at the Santa Catarina post office. Then he presented false documents from the Federal Revenue Service, claiming that cell phones and video games imported from China had been detained and demanded payment of R$130,000 in taxes.
Desperate, the victim learned that everything would be resolved again “within a few kilometers”. Nothing was paid. The products never arrived. In a final version, Gustavo claimed that the Post Office had diverted the merchandise and that he was waiting for insurance payment, presenting other falsified documents.
Escape and criminal history
The estimated loss for this family alone exceeds R$165,000 in assets, a devastating sum for those who live on minimum wage and informal work. Gustavo Real Rabelo fled Balneário Camboriú. According to the victims, he accumulated around 84 police reports for fraud. The Civil Police of the Federal District (PCDF) and Santa Catarina (PCSC) are currently investigating this case, which is believed to have caused victims in several states.
The scam was not limited to electronics. The company also offered discounted payment for bills, flight tickets and international travel packages. A family lost R$150,000 on a trip to Germany that never happened.
While the victims suffered from debt and despair, Gustavo lived a life of luxury. Investigations indicate that money from the scams was converted into assets, including high-end vehicles. During an operation carried out in March 2024, the police seized:
- BMW540i
- BMW X5
- Land Rover
- Electronic documents and equipment
- Judicial blocks have been carried out and the total amount of losses for the victims already exceeds 1.5 million reais, according to the Santa Catarina anti-fraud office.
The other side
The report attempted to contact Gustavo Real Rabelo via calls and messages, but received no response. The space remains open for demonstrations.
Meanwhile, in Balneário Camboriú, a day laborer mother and her children try to rebuild not only their finances, but also their confidence, after seeing their life’s sweat washed away by false promises disguised as opportunity.
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