247 - The businessman Saul Klein, who was once convicted of sex crimes Samuel Klein, an heir to the founder of Casas Bahia, has asked the court to advance another portion of his inheritance while the probate process is ongoing.

In his petition, Saul claims to be hospitalized for treatment of a hemorrhage resulting from stress. He alleges that the cause of this stress is not his conviction for human trafficking for the purpose of forced sexual labor, but rather the litigation with the other heirs over a larger share of his father's estate.

Saul Klein was the only heir who has already received an advance on his inheritance authorized by the court, amounting to more than R$ 30 million. In addition, he receives a monthly payment of R$ 100 from lawyer and businessman Enzo Gorentzvaig. The contract between the two, included in the probate proceedings, shows that Gorentzvaig is also responsible for Saul's legal defense expenses.

Admitted to Vila Nova Star, one of the most expensive hospitals in the country, Saul claims he needs early access to his inheritance due to high medical costs. However, he was admitted to Vila Nova Star, one of the most expensive hospitals in São Paulo, and presented proof that he has Bradesco health insurance, in which Enzo is also the legal guardian.

Open for over 10 years, Samuel Klein's estate remains unresolved, largely because Gorentzvaig seeks to undo the division of assets agreed upon by the heirs in order to increase Saul's share. In exchange for paying the heir's expenses, Gorentzvaig will receive 30% to 50% of Saul's share. Before finalizing the agreement with the lawyer, Saul repeatedly defended the legality of the division of assets.

Recall the news about Saul Klein's conviction:

Saul Klein is fined R$ 30 million for trafficking in persons for the purpose of forced sexual labor.

Businessman lured young women and teenagers with false promises of work and sexually exploited them.

Note from the Public Prosecutor's Office of São Paulo, dated July 14, 2023 – Businessman Saul Klein, son of the founder of Casas Bahia, was ordered by the Labor Court to pay R$ 30 million for luring young women and teenagers with false promises of work and sexually exploiting them, subjecting them to conditions analogous to slavery. This is the second largest conviction for collective moral damages for the practice of slave labor and the largest for human trafficking in the entire country.

The decision fulfills requests made by the Labor Public Prosecutor's Office (MPT), which investigated the case and found that Saul Klein recruited teenagers and young people between the ages of 16 and 21, in situations of social and economic vulnerability, with the false promise that they would work as models.

After being recruited, the women and teenage girls were drawn into a criminal exploitation scheme on the businessman's property, being forced to have sexual relations with the defendant for days, under severe psychological violence and armed surveillance.

In addition to suffering restrictions on their freedom and being subjected to forced sexual practices, situations that generated serious psychological consequences for the victims, they were also infected with sexually transmitted diseases, as attested by gynecologists who treated them during the events.

The complaint reached the Public Prosecutor's Office for Labor (MPT) through the non-governmental organization Justiceiras and news reports in the media. The labor prosecutors responsible for the action, Gustavo Accioly, Tatiana Leal Bivar Simonetti, and Christiane Vieira Nogueira, emphasize that this case is emblematic and had a symbolic result for the MPT's work in combating human trafficking: “July 30th is the World and National Day Against Trafficking in Persons, and the judicial recognition in this specific situation allows people to identify the reported and proven facts as a crime, seeing them as a serious violation of human rights, health, and sexual dignity. May the firm action of the State, the MPT, and the Judiciary encourage new reports.”

In its ruling, the Judiciary acknowledged that it had been proven, for labor law purposes, that the defendant kept several women in conditions analogous to slavery, hired for sexual services on his behalf. It highlighted that the scheme maintained by the defendant to satisfy his personal desires violated intimate aspects of human dignity, caused irreparable harm to the victims, and definitively altered the course of each of their lives. Furthermore, it noted that the businessman utilized a large structure to commit these illegal acts, possessing considerable influence and economic power, leading to the belief that he may repeat such acts.

Therefore, Saul Klein was ordered to pay compensation for collective moral damages in the amount of R$ 30 million. He was also prohibited from engaging in human trafficking (procuring, enticing, recruiting, transporting, transferring, buying, housing, or harboring) with the purpose of sexually exploiting them or subjecting them to conditions analogous to slavery, from subjecting people to conditions analogous to slavery, from violating the self-determination, freedom, and sexual dignity of people, especially women and adolescents, and from subjecting children and adolescents to commercial sexual exploitation. A fine of R$ 100 was imposed for each breach of obligation, which may be increased by the court at any time, depending on the seriousness of the act.

It was also determined that official letters should be sent to the Regional Council of Medicine (CRM) of São Paulo and to the State Public Prosecutor's Office so that they may investigate whether the doctors who provided care to the victims at the defendant's property committed ethical or legal infractions and whether there was a violation of legislation relating to public health.

The R$30 million compensation will be donated to three non-profit organizations.

Case No. 1001662-04.2022.5.02.0204 is being conducted under seal to protect the identity and privacy of the victims.