Banco Santos is the target of dispute after seizure of Eldorado – 10/18/2023 – Mônica Bergamo

The dispute between banker Edemar Cid Ferreira, the debtors of Banco Santos and the judicial administrator of the bankruptcy estate of the former financial institution gained a new chapter.

The dispute now revolves around who will manage the approximately R$2.1 billion resulting from the seizure of half of the Eldorado shopping mall, located in the west zone of the capital of São Paulo, in favor of the bank’s bankrupt estate.

After a lack of consensus between the parties, the 42nd Civil Court of the Central Court of the District of São Paulo determined that custody of the billion-dollar amount would be the responsibility of accountant Carolina Laskowski, defined as the depositary administrator of the amount.

The bank’s bankrupt estate was in favor of hiring Laskowski. The name, on the other hand, was not well received by one of the Veríssimo Group’s debtors nor by banker Edemar Cid Ferreira, founder of Santos.

At least since the beginning of this month, Cid has been making accusations against the judicial administrator of the bankruptcy estate of his former bank, Vânio Aguiar, who has been leading the process for 17 years. The banker accuses the person in charge of committing illicit enrichment and demands compensation for alleged misappropriated amounts.

Contrary to the appointment of the depositary administrator, Cid says he expressed to the Court his surprise at the fact that Laskowski could receive around R$ 100 million if the transfer of R$ 2.1 billion is carried out — the accountant had requested a fee of R$6,000 to prepare a seizure plan plus 5% of the total amount of the debt.

After a challenge from one of the debtors linked to the Eldorado shopping mall, the São Paulo court suspended the setting of 5% on the amount for the payment of fees.

Before that, the banker had already questioned the appointment of the company Contjud, made by judicial administrator Vânio Aguiar, to manage the amount. Cid maintained that the hiring would benefit Aguiar’s acquaintances and would result in an expense of R$100,000 per month to the bankrupt estate.

When contacted, the judicial administrator of the bankrupt estate of Banco Santos says he is unaware of “any petition from the bankrupt on the matter in question”. “If it’s just his comments, I don’t see how I can comment,” says Vânio Aguiar.

The seizure of 50% of the Eldorado shopping mall, determined in March this year, represented for Banco Santos one of its first legal victories since 2005, the year in which its bankruptcy was declared.

The percentage corresponds to the share held by businesspeople from the Veríssimo Group, identified as one of the bank’s largest debtors. The default dates back to a million-dollar contract signed in July 2004 between Santos and a group company. Its updated value is estimated at around R$2.1 billion.

After more than 15 years of collecting the debt, the bankrupt Banco Santos went to court requesting that the responsibility be extended to the individuals and legal entities behind the company Verpar Centro Comerciais SA, which belongs to the Veríssimo Group and contracted the loan.

Banco Santos suffered intervention from the Central Bank in 2004, after a R$2.2 billion loss. The following year, its bankruptcy was declared.

Owner of the financial institution, banker Edemar Cid Ferreira has been trying, since then, to reverse the decision: for him, the business went bankrupt due to those who took out loans and did not honor the payment of the debt.

In 2020, a Cid mansion located in the Morumbi neighborhood, in São Paulo, and which belonged to the bank’s bankrupt estate, was sold at a judicial auction for R$27.5 million. Built between 2000 and 2004, the house was designed by architect Ruy Ohtake.

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The Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, attended the Geração Glamor 2023 Awards – Jornadas Brilhantes, which honored women who stood out in their areas of activity. The indigenous leader was honored in the “They in Power” category. The event took place last week, in São Paulo, and had Sabrina Sato as one of the presenters of the night. Singer Manu Gavassi was there.

_{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS It is MANOELLA SMITH}

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