Police arrest seven in operation that dismantled scheme diverting soccer players' salaries.
A joint operation uncovered the misappropriation of nearly R$1 million from athletes such as Gabigol and Kannemann.
247 - A joint operation by the civil police of Rondônia, Paraná, Mato Grosso and Amazonas resulted, this Tuesday (24), in the arrest of seven people suspected of belonging to a criminal organization specialized in bank fraud against football players. The information was revealed by g1, which also revealed that among the main targets of the criminals were athletes from the Série A of the Brazilian Championship, such as Gabriel Barbosa, Gabigol, currently at Cruzeiro, and the Argentine defender Walter Kannemann, from Grêmio.
Authorities carried out a total of 11 arrest warrants and 22 search and seizure warrants in the cities of Porto Velho (RO), Cuiabá (MT), Curitiba (PR), Almirante Tamandaré (PR), and Lábrea (AM). Police seized R$ 800 in cash from the suspects, as well as a firearm, card payment terminals, and several cell phones, which are believed to have been used in the scams.
According to the investigations, the group used forged documents to open bank accounts in the players' names. They then requested the transfer of salaries to these accounts, which were controlled by the fraudsters themselves. The funds were then quickly withdrawn, transferred, or used for purchases, making it difficult to trace and recover the money.
One of the most emblematic cases involves striker Gabigol, from whom the criminals allegedly embezzled R$ 938. According to sources linked to the operation, the banks themselves identified suspicious transactions and notified the athletes, which helped trigger the investigation.
The operation was dubbed “False 9” — an ironic reference to the tactical position in football — and had the support of the Cyber Operations Laboratory (Ciberlab), linked to the Ministry of Justice. The alleged leader of the gang was arrested in the Alto neighborhood, in Curitiba. Another suspect was located in the Atuba neighborhood, in the same city, carrying cell phones, falsified documents, and altered copies of ID cards.
So far, police estimate that the criminals have moved more than R$ 1 million in the names of third parties, with a large portion of the money going to people in Porto Velho and Cuiabá. Only R$ 135 has been recovered so far.
