Video: PF finds safe full in action against Lira’s allies – 06/01/2023 – Politics

The Federal Police are carrying out this Thursday morning (1st) arrest and search and seizure warrants in an investigation into deviations in contracts for the purchase of robotics kits with money from the FNDE (National Fund for the Development of Education).

Images publicizing the operation show the apprehension of an overcrowded safe with money from one of the targets of the investigation. The PF investigates possible fraud that may have generated a loss of R$ 8.1 million. 26 search warrants and two temporary arrest warrants are served.

The case arose from a report by the Sheet published in April last year on acquisitions in municipalities of Alagoas, all signed with the same company belonging to allies of the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL).

The investigation began in 2022 after the revelation of the Sheet. The request for searches and arrests was made by the PF in March 2023, and the orders were issued by the Federal Court of Alagoas.

As shown to Sheet at the time, the kits were contracted with resources, in large part, from the billionaire budget rapporteur’s amendments —at that moment, during the Bolsonaro government, Lira was responsible for controlling the distribution of part of this type of money in Brasília.

Lira was one of the main allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and had support from the base of the Lula government (PT) to be re-elected mayor last February.

As revealed to Sheet this Thursday, he made it known to interlocutors at the Planalto Palace that he will not guide projects of interest to Lula until the deputies assess that the government has adjusted the political articulation and the relationship with the House.

The company supplying the robotics kits is Megalic, which operated in a small house in the neighborhood of Jatiuca, in Maceió, with a capital of R$ 1 million.

The company is just an intermediary, although it has closed millionaire contracts, at least R$ 24 million, and does not produce robotics kits.

Megalic is in the name of Roberta Lins Costa Melo and Edmundo Catunda, father of Maceió councilor João Catunda (PSD). The closeness of the councilor and his father to Lira is public.

In addition to the company and Edmundo Catundo, the PF is targeting other allies of Lira in Alagoas.