By Iolanda Fonseca
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Eight more people accused by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) as former employees of then state deputy and now Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PSL-RJ) saw their banking and tax secrecy lifted, according to Folha de S. Paulo.
Judge Flávio Itabaiana, of the 27th Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro, granted the decision on June 14th. The aim is to deepen the grounds for the breach of confidentiality of 86 people and nine companies given in April.
The defense of those under investigation petitioned for the suspension of the order, alleging that the judge did not present any arguments when granting the Rio Prosecutor’s request.
The new decision, however, is kept under seal, and complied with the Federal Prosecutor’s request, which accused eight additional people linked to Flávio in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro, after a new investigation.
Among those now under investigation are members of commissioned positions appointed in the cabinet, in committees and bodies within the Chamber, hierarchically linked to the then state deputy. The names remain confidential.
The investigation was started after a report by the Financial Activities Control Council (Coaf) showed an atypical transaction of R$1.2 million (US$300.000) in the accounts of former advisor Fabrício Queiroz, between January 2016 and January 2017.