PF operation targets Acre government summit and blocks R$ 120 million

This Thursday (9), the Federal Police are carrying out 89 search and seizure warrants in seven states of the country against a criminal organization involved in corruption and money laundering offenses related to the leadership of the government of Acre.

Operation Ptolemy III is an offshoot of two other actions carried out in 2021 after the identification of the group that would be controlled by political agents and businessmen linked to the Executive Branch of Acre, who acted in the diversion of public resources, concealment of the origin and destination of values, according to PF. At the time, the chief of staff of the governor of Acre, Rosângela Gama, was arrested preventively.

In this new phase, the warrants are fulfilled in the states of Acre, Piauí, Goiás, Paraná, Amazonas and Rondônia, in addition to the Federal District. The Justice also asked for the unavailability of BRL 120 million from those involved, with the blocking of accounts and the hijacking of aircraft, houses and luxury apartments acquired as profit from the crimes.

In the same decision, 15 investigated companies had their economic activities suspended by order of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ). The Court also decreed precautionary measures such as the suspension of the exercise of public function, the prohibition of access to public bodies, the impediment of contact between those investigated and the prohibition of leaving the country, with the delivery of passports within 24 hours.

Investigations point to suspicions of overbilling of works

According to analyzes carried out by the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU), which participates in the operation with the PF, signs of overbilling and “contractual non-performance” were identified in at least four contracts with companies in the civil construction area.​​​​​

According to the CGU, the government of Acre would have paid R$ 286.6 million as of January 2019 to carry out major infrastructure works and maintenance of health units and schools. “The evidence points out that the companies involved used secret partners, in order to allow individuals with close connections to public servants to obtain advantages in hiring directed by the Government of Acre”, said the Comptroller in a note.

The agency also detected the constant practice of moving high amounts in cash among those investigated, in addition to smurfing operations, “a practice in which financial amounts are divided into smaller amounts and deposited in current accounts so as not to alert the control bodies”, says the CGU. Resources were from government transfers to the areas of health, education and the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).

The Federal Revenue, on the other hand, informed that, based on the crossing of information, it was verified that part of those investigated would have no economic-financial basis for the equity evolution observed in the analyzed period.

“We also identified apparent simulations of loans and donations between individuals and payments of profits and dividends by companies without economic capacity, as an attempt to justify the expenses and equity evolution of the period”, says the tax authority in a note.

The government of Acre stated, in a public note, that the Federal Police operation is a continuation of the previous phases and that “always acting with transparency and righteousness, it once again makes itself available to the authorities” (see full text).

The third phase of Operation Ptolemy is also carried out with the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) and the Federal Revenue Service. In all, 25 auditors from the CGU, 10 auditors from the Federal Revenue of Brazil and about 300 federal police officers participate in the action in the cities of Rio Branco (AC), Cruzeiro do Sul (AC), Brasiléia (AC), Manaus ( AM), Porto Velho (RO), Brasília (DF), Teresina (PI), São Paulo (SP), Curitiba (PR), Chapadão do Céu (GO) and Luziânia (GO).