The businessman targeted in the federal police’s Operation Coffee Break, which uncovered a scheme to defraud a city hall education tender in the interior of São Paulo, would have received about R10 million in cash from money changers in plastic bags over two years.
According to the PF, the leader of the plot will be businessman Andre Gonçalves Mariano, owner of Life Technologia and one of those arrested in the operation on Wednesday (12/11). According to the investigation, the company raised R$111 million to supply school materials to four city halls in São Paulo through allegedly corrupt contracts.
The investigation found that after receiving public funds, Life used a complex money laundering system to conceal the source and destination of the funds. To do this, funds were sent to a shell company controlled by money changers.
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These operators were responsible for converting bank transfers into cash. To conceal this move, the group adopted strategies such as paying invoices in installments rather than making large transactions all at once.
“Andre transferred the public funds he received through Life to clandestine financiers, who then demanded the equivalent amount in cash, less the fees charged by the money exchangers. The amounts withdrawn in cash would be used to pay bribes to lobbyists and public officials,” the investigation said.
deputy mayor
In addition to money exchangers, the bribery scheme also involved local authorities, businessmen and lobbyists, according to PF. A total of five people were arrested, including Hortlandia’s deputy mayor, Kaf Cesar. (Featured photo)and Fernando Gómez de Moraes, the city’s education secretary. Warrants were also executed in Morungaba, Sumare and Limeira in the Campinas region.
Federal police say the server worked to guide Life’s victory, sign price registration minutes, and expedite the release of high-value contracts and payment commitments.
In their files, investigators identified approximately 30 records in which Café Cesar purchased luxury goods worth more than 30,000 reais in cash. Some of them amount to nearly 3 million reais. “The Gucci and Burberry stores alone added the equivalent of R2,933,113.00,” PF said.
Records say Mariano had privileged access to the city’s education secretaries and “created demand” for his products, particularly books, robotics kits and educational materials. As a result, the bidding process was rigged to give Life a competitive advantage in exchange for paying bribes to responsible public authorities.
How the plan works
- Investigations show that this plan has been in place since at least 2021. This crime cycle involved three main groups: Life Tecnologia, which Mariano represented, public authorities, and money exchangers.
- Records say Mariano had privileged access to the city’s education secretaries and “created demand” for his products, particularly books, robotics kits and educational materials. As a result, the bidding process was rigged to give Life a competitive advantage in exchange for paying bribes to responsible public authorities.
- Public representatives such as Caf César and Fernando Gómez de Moraes were instrumental in guiding Reiff’s victory, signing price registration minutes and expediting the release of high-value contracts and payment commitments.
- At Ortlandia, for example, Mr. Mariano “cooperated” with civil servants, participating in the construction of the bidding process and also agreeing on the products to be sold. In Sumare, he received the notification’s key document, the terms of reference, for approval before its official publication.
- Servers received bribes in kind called “coffees.” The bribes were sent through money changers, direct bank transfers, or to third party or family accounts.
- “The subjects of the investigation use the term “café” to refer to payments of illicit benefits to public officials, and it is possible to conclude that, between 2021 and 2024, they made dozens of payments of illicit benefits to public officials and lobbyists associated with the most diverse public bodies, the judge said in the judgment.
lobbyist
A Federal Police (PF) investigation points to the alleged involvement of a former daughter-in-law of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) and a former partner of one of the sons of PT members in a bribery scheme.
Lula’s former daughter-in-law, Carla Ariane Trindade, is the subject of the investigation. She was married to one of the president’s sons, Marcos Claudio Lula da Silva. According to the investigation, Mr. Carla promised privileged access in Brasilia and “protected public authorities and Mr. Mariano’s private interests, primarily in the search for resources and contracts.”
The businessman also paid for a ticket for Lula’s former daughter-in-law to travel with her to the federal capital.
“Carla would have gone to Brasilia on at least two occasions using tickets paid by Andre Mariano, and this appointment move, often corroborated by other documents, shows that Carla is primarily defending public authorities and Mariano’s private interests in the search for resources and contracts,” State Judge Raquel Coelho Dal Rio Silveira of the First Federal Court of Campinas said in the judgment authorizing Operation Coffee Break.
The judge added that the person being investigated was posing as someone working for the federal government.
“It appears that Carla has, or claims to have, influence over decisions of the federal government, in particular the FNDE (National Fund for Educational Development), and inter alia municipalities such as Maua/SP, Diadema/SP and Campinas/SP,” the judge added, based on PF’s representation.
According to the conversation, Carla’s contact information was saved on Mariano’s cell phone under the names “Amiga de Paulínia” and “Nora.”
In addition to her, the investigation names Khalil Vitar, the former partner of Lula’s eldest son Fabio Luis Lula da Silva (also known as Luriña), as a person with ties to businessman Andre Mariano.
Federal police say Kalil was “very important and involved in the business success” of Life Educational and was “acting in support of Andre Mariano’s interests in the ‘development of the business.'” He said the businessman would have helped “intensify its lobbying efforts in Brasilia” and that “this action with the central government likely enabled various payments to LIFE by the Municipality of Ortlandia.”
What those involved say
Holtlandia City Hall said in a statement that it was surprised by the federal police’s actions, but that authorities would be held to account.
“The City emphasizes that all bids are conducted according to a strict process in accordance with the Tendering and Management Contracts Act (Law No. 14,133/21), in particular with respect to the compliance of the contracting companies with legal and regulatory standards, such as the publicity of the bidding process, the transparency of the contracting stages and the checking of the delivery of contracted items and services. In the case of electronic auctions, interested parties can also participate regardless of their location, which increases access to all stages,” the City said.
Kaf Cesar’s lawyer said they are still analyzing the file. “These are huge files, and as soon as the analysis is complete, we will take the necessary steps to revoke Mr. Cafu’s preventive detention,” said lawyer Ralph Tortima Filho.
The big city He was unable to contact attorneys for the other people mentioned. This space will remain open for demonstrations.
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