The National Institute of Social Security (INSS) has been revealed as one of the targets of the Federal Police (PF) in the new phase of Operation No Discount, which investigates fraud in retirement benefits and pensions at the National Institute of Social Security (INSS). big cityRogério Soares de Sousa, an employee of the agency, was charged with accepting bribes from the operators of the National Federation of Family Farmers (Conafar), an organization that embezzled R$640.9 million from the agency.
Messages extracted from the mobile phone of Cicero Marcelino de Sousa Santos, appointed financial operator for Conafar, show Rogério requesting payments to be forwarded to individuals and companies indicated by the server. In September 2023, he complains about late payments to Cicero: “Master, have you forgotten about me?”
Shortly thereafter, PF identified that R$40,000 had been paid to Waldemir Miranda Neto, whom Rogério himself indicated as the recipient in a WhatsApp message.
Minister Andrés Mendonça’s ruling of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) authorizing the PF operation states: “This conversation is cited as direct evidence of his knowledge and active participation in a passive corruption scheme.”
A total of 11 transfers to third-party accounts totaling R$450,000 were confirmed. PF said the use of other bank accounts was intended to “hide the fraudulent origin” of the transfers.
Fidelis’s right hand
Among civil servants, Rogério is seen as the right-hand man of former INSS benefits director Andre Fidelis, and is responsible for concluding 14 technical cooperation agreements that granted unfair discounts to retirees and pensioners. No other INSS board has granted discounts to as many entities as Fidelis.
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Rogério held a management position at INSS during the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government, when Leonardo Rolim and José Carlos Oliveira were presidents. From March 2023 to February 2024 during the Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) government, Rogério served as regional director for the Northeast, a position already held by Fidelis.
Since February last year, Mr. Rogelio has not held any other position at INSS other than as a Social Security Technician. Civil servants from Recife were called to a conference in Brasilia to discuss the technical cooperation agreement, even though they had no leadership mandate. He has already made 210 trips, according to data from the federal government’s transparency portal.
Meeting with Mr. Kaleka of INSS at the Ministry
During the transition period between the Bolsonaro and Lula governments, Rogelio participated in a meeting with the current Social Security Minister Walny Queiroz (PDT) at the ministry’s headquarters. The contents of the press conference have been revealed big cityThe group also included former INSS lawyer Virgilio Oliveira Filho, lobbyist Antonio Carlos Camilo, known as “Careca do INSS,” and Fidelis. All were subject to arrest warrants this Thursday.
Social security number two at the time, Walny Queiroz, met with PF investigators.
In addition to this week’s PF goals, the meeting was also attended by INSS official Marcos de Brito, former governor Alexandre Guimarães, Osorio Chalegre Oliveira, and Leandro Fonseca, former mayor of Carual (PE) who collaborated with José Queiroz, the father of Minister Walny.
The report attempted to contact Souza’s attorney. This space will remain open for demonstrations.
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