Court upholds conviction of Cacciola's nephews.
They were convicted of traffic offenses for participating in a street race in March 2009 with two friends. The four were each driving a Porsche Cayman, an Audi S5, a BMW 550i, and a BMW M3.
Fernando Porfírio_247 - The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) denied a request to suspend the sentence of two nephews of former banker Salvatore Cacciola. They were convicted of a traffic crime. In March 2009, along with two other friends, they participated in a street race. The four were using powerful cars – a Porsche Cayman, an Audi S5, a BMW 550i, and a BMW M3.
The conviction of the Cacciola brothers was based on article 308 of Law 9.503/97. This law considers street racing on public roads without authorization from the competent authority a traffic crime.
The race took place on a highway in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, when they were approached by the Federal Highway Police after one of the cars crashed into a Kombi van. Giacomo and Giordano were sentenced to six months in prison (a sentence replaced by community service), a fine, and a six-month suspension of their driver's licenses.
However, the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice accepted the defense's appeal and replaced the sentence with a monetary payment equivalent to ten minimum wages, reduced the amount of the fine, and deducted the period during which the driver's license was suspended.
Justice Sebastião Reis Júnior, of the Sixth Panel of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), denied a preliminary injunction in the habeas corpus petition filed by the two brothers, who sought to suspend the decision of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice and have their acquittals declared due to lack of just cause.