Cachoeira's habeas corpus petition will finally be reviewed.

Agência Brasil – Minister Gilson Dipp, of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), will decide on the habeas corpus petition of Carlos Augusto de Almeida Ramos, known as Carlinhos Cachoeira, who has been imprisoned since February accused of leading illegal gambling operations in Goiás.

This morning (11), Minister Laurita Vaz declared that she was prevented from judging the request filed by Cachoeira's defense. Because she worked in Goiás and given Cachoeira's involvement with public authorities in the state, the minister chose to leave the case to guarantee impartiality in the process, since Cachoeira may have been involved with authorities with whom the minister has already had contact.

“I am originally from the state of Goiás, where I held positions directly or indirectly related to local institutions. Given the reported scope of his alleged activities [by Carlinhos Cachoeira] in the state, with the purported involvement of several public authorities, some of whom I had some kind of social or professional contact with, in my opinion, it is prudent to declare my recusal in order to preserve the integrity of the criminal proceedings,” the minister argued.

With Laurita Vaz's refusal, the case was transferred to Dipp, who will have to decide individually whether Cachoeira can be released.

Recordings made by the Federal Police show dialogues between some parliamentarians from Goiás and Cachoeira or people connected to him. The parliamentarian most affected by the accusations is Senator Demóstenes Torres (independent-GO), accused of influence peddling in favor of Cachoeira.

Conversations between Eliane Gonçalves Pinheiro, then chief of staff to the governor of Goiás, Marconi Perillo, and Cachoeira were also revealed. She left her post, and since then, suspicions have arisen that Perillo may also have been involved in the illegal gambling scheme in the state.