Banks declare war on Lemann, Telles, and Sicupira after Americanas scandal: "It's fraud, it's a crime, there's no discussion."

247 - Bankers reacted with outrage to the statement by billionaires Carlos Alberto Sicupira, Jorge Paulo Lemann and Marcel Telles regarding the billion-dollar hole found at Americanas. In the statement, released on Sunday night (23), the trio, who form 3G Capital, deeply regret “the losses suffered by investors and creditors, remembering that, as shareholders, we were affected by losses”. 

Bankers interviewed by Neofeed They say the atmosphere in financial institutions is one of war against the three billionaires. "They claim to be victims in their statement. That's not true, the three are professionals. Didn't they see anything for over a decade? It's fraud, it's a crime, there's no discussion about it."

In its bankruptcy filing, the retailer declared a debt of R$ 43 billion. The company has loans with the largest financial institutions in the country: Bradesco (R$ 4,7 billion), Santander (R$ 3,7 billion), Itaú (R$ 3,4 billion), Safra (R$ 2,4 billion), BTG (R$ 1,9 billion) and Banco do Brasil (R$ 1,3 billion). These are the largest creditors.

What has caused the most outrage among banks is that, to date, Lemann, Telles, and Sicupira, owners of a fortune of R$ 185 billion, have not yet commented on a possible injection of their own capital to save the company. "In the market, the talk circulating is that by Wednesday, January 25, the three reference shareholders will present a proposal of what they intend to do," the report adds.

"This isn't a company problem. It's fraud. They want a judicial reorganization and an 80% haircut? No way. We're going to fight and we're going after all three of them personally," promises another banker.

"Without a large capital injection, there's no point in talking. All the creditor banks are outraged by this situation. Beto Sicupira is a financier and was following the company. Now he claims to be a victim? The three of them relinquished control of the company without compensation in 2021. It's all very strange," declared the president of a bank affected by the company's financial losses.

"It strikes me that a businessman like Lemann, at 83 years old, would tarnish his biography in this way," says the banker, who guarantees problems for other companies managed by the trio. "No one will give credit to Ambev and their other companies. It's over."

"One solution that has been discussed among the banks is the exchange of debt for shares that the three hold in other companies. The 3G trio are shareholders of AB InBev and Kraft Heinz, and have stakes in several other publicly traded companies. Another option could be, after a capital injection, to extend the debt maturity," the report says.

Subscribe to 247, Support via Pix, Subscribe to TV 247, in the channel Cuts 247 and watch: