TCU condemns Lula’s daughter-in-law accused of being a ghost employee

The plenary session of the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) decided to annul the conviction against advisor Marlene Araújo Lula da Silva, daughter-in-law of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). She was convicted after being accused of being a ghost employee of the Sesi National Council in 2018 and the court plenary withdrew her punishment this Wednesday (29).

The sentence was the same as that of the then president of Sesi, Jair Meneguelli, to pay a total fine of R$213,000. They were prevented from holding public office for three years. The TCU’s decision was based on a report from the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU).

At the time, she was unable to prove her activities at Sesi and the court understood that she was receiving a salary without working. This week, however, the TCU plenary analyzed an appeal on the case and withdrew the conviction against Marlene.

According to the case’s rapporteur, Minister Vital do Rêgo, a public servant who “simply receives salaries in exchange for work is not obliged to have proof of the days he went to work in his personal files”. The punishments for Meneguelli and other employees were maintained.

The rapporteur also pointed out that she was appointed to the advisory board of the Presidency of Sesi in 2007 and was exempt from punching the clock at the time. The minister also highlighted that she worked in the role of institutional relations and would not be able to show “traces” left by visits and phone calls.

“These are jobs that are usually carried out through telephone conversations and visits, leaving no physical traces or products that can be saved,” he argued.