Businessman Alexandre Ceotto, 50, has been held in Benfica prison in Rio’s northern district since last Tuesday, awaiting the normal procedure for transfer to prison, but his lawyer said he was upset by the situation. Theotto, who has been investigated by civilian police since February as the mastermind behind a theft described as “cinematic” at a luxury apartment hotel in Glagoata, Niteroi, will appear at the first hearing in the case on December 1 at 1pm at the city’s 4th Criminal Court.
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— Theot is a first-time offender and is being investigated for theft. The way he feels at this moment is that of someone who has suffered great injustice. However, in addition to seeking prison mitigation, we will prove his innocence throughout the proceedings, said defense lawyer Thiago Minage.
According to the investigation, on the night of February 7, lawyer Luis Mauricio Guarda arrived at the Horizonte by Atlantica building wearing a suit, gloves and a realistic silicone mask. With his head bowed and his phone held to his ear, he entered the building through an employee-restricted area, entered the apartment, and remained there for approximately 16 minutes. He set out with a backpack containing about 10 luxury watches worth about 80,000 reais.
A security camera recorded the entire act. Police traced the route based on images and identified the vehicle used in the getaway. Guarda was eventually located, confessed to the crime, and appointed Theot as his intellectual leader.
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Guarda said the mask used in the theft was purchased online on an international platform for about 1,800 reais. The accessory is made of soft silicone, has holes in the nose and ears for easier breathing, and embedded eyebrows for added realism. The disguise left the wearer bald and virtually unrecognizable.
After the crime, the lawyers claimed they destroyed the materials, shredded the pieces and disposed of them in the building’s organic waste bin. The account used on the platform was also deleted, along with purchase records.
According to the investigation, Theotto had about $1 million in cash in his apartment, which he believed he had sold to the victim. Because the businessman knew the layout of the premises and the daily routine of the occupants who were traveling on the day of the crime, he would have passed on the information to the lawyer granting him access to the location. Police concluded that the two intended to split the money together if the plan was successful.
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At the time, Guarda was serving as an advisor to Councilor Rogério Amorin (PL) in the Rio City Council, but was removed from his post following his confession.
Theot is known for his position on the far right. On social media, he defines himself as a weaponist and against gender ideology and abortion. He also declares himself an honest man, a carnivore and a defender of the traditional family. In one of the posts, he appears to be holding a high-caliber gun and claims to be ready to defend “all these issues.”
The businessman, who rose to fame in Niteroi in the first decade of the 2000s as the lead singer of the pop-rock band Sagacidade, has his name tattooed on his right forearm. He said the group lasted about seven years and performed more than 500 shows. In the early 2010s, Theotto also became active behind the scenes in local politics.
Other names already being mentioned include Congressman Carlos Jordi (PL), last year’s Niteroi mayoral candidate, and brothers Rodrigo and Rogério Amorim, also Bolsonaro supporters. In 2020, he was the candidate for deputy mayor on the ticket of the Republican Delegate Deula da Rocha (PL). Two years later, he joined the PTB, where he presided over the city list, and more recently, he was expelled from the party last August after being embroiled in controversy and banned from running for the upper house.
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