An operation by the Public Ministry and the police arrested 13 people on Tuesday morning (16). All are suspected of being part of a group that defrauded bids from 11 city halls and Municipal Chambers in Greater São Paulo and other parts of the state.
The scheme was used to finance and launder money for the PCC (First Capital Command), according to Gaeco (Special Group for Combatting Organized Crime), from the Prosecutor's Office.
The accusation indicates that one of the companies negotiated contracts totaling more than R$ 200 million ($ 38 million) over the last five years.
In total, 15 temporary arrest warrants were issued, with 13 being executed; two accused individuals remain at large. The city councilors Flavio Batista de Souza (Podemos) from Ferraz de Vasconcelos; Luiz Carlos Alves Dias, known as Luizão Arquiteto (MDB), from Santa Isabel; and Ricardo de Oliveira, known as Ricardo Queixão (PSD), from Cubatão were arrested. In addition to them, public agents, businessmen, and a lawyer are among those arrested.