Rio Governor Witzel Allegedly Tops Fraudulent Healthcare Bid Organization

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Operation Placebo says it has collected evidence showing that Wilson Witzel, the governor of Rio de Janeiro, is at the top of an organization that has swindled bid proceedings for water tanks of field hospitals in Rio.

Data from the investigation, forwarded by the Rio Federal Prosecutor’s Office to the STJ (Superior Court of Justice), allegedly claim Witzel “commanded” actions to damage the management of health care facilities.

To do so, he was supposedly assisted by his wife, Helena Witzel, and by the former State Secretary of Health Edmar Santos, who delegated certain tasks to subordinates under investigation.

According to the investigation, which is being conducted in confidentiality under judicial seal, there were illegal acts in the process of contracting the Iabas social organization to manage the temporary hospitals. The investigation says that the budget figures for several items of assistance to Covid-19 victims were fraudulent.

“They [investigators] state that there is solid evidence of fraud in the proceedings that led to the contracting of Iabas to manage the field hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, all of which with the consent and command of the executive branch,” says an excerpt from STJ Judge Benedito Gonçalves’ ruling that authorized the police operation.

“To this end, they reported that fraudulent quotes were submitted for the installation and dismounting of tents, installation of water tanks, power generators, and floors for the creation of the structure of field hospitals, all of which with the [then] secretary of health’s knowledge. Police evidence shows that some other price quotations were submitted to the state to cover up the contracting fraud, as the supposed businesses did not legally exist,” he said.

On Tuesday, May 26th, the Federal Police carried out search and seizure orders at Witzel’s addresses, including the palaces of Laranjeiras and Guanabara, his wife and health officials in the state: “They claim [investigators] that the evidence collected so far suggests that a hierarchical structure has been established within the executive branch of the state of Rio, duly organized by the governor, which enabled contracts on which there is strong evidence of fraud,” the judge said.

He then adds: “To this end, Wilson Witzel held the command of the actions [assisted by Helena Witzel]”.

In the ruling, Gonçalves stated that the sharing of evidence from the Federal Court in Rio revealed “a very close and suspicious link with the first lady of Rio” and the companies controlled by Mário Peixoto, an entrepreneur who benefited from contracts in the Rio de Janeiro government.

He mentions a service contract between Helena Witzel’s law firm and DPAD Services and Diagnosis, as well as proof of cash transfers between the two companies.

In emails with Alexandre Duarte, charged with being a Peixoto operator, the police also found evidence of payment to Witzel’s wife, says the judge.

Gonçalves said actions are required to search for evidence and emphasized the hardship of investigating people who know how the courts work.

Governor Wilson Witzel, in this case, is a former judge who gave up his judicial career to run for Rio de Janeiro’s highest executive position.

“In addition, we are dealing with alleged offenses committed by several suspects with legal knowledge, and obtaining evidence becomes quite difficult. Consequently, the injunction is indispensable given the need to ensure the preservation of evidence of illegal perpetration and authorship,” he wrote.

Gonçalves also said that the evidence collected so far points to the need for search and seizure warrants.

In addition to the operation searching for evidence in the addresses linked to the alleged offenders, the magistrate stressed the need for investigators to have access to tax and computer confidentiality.

“The breach of confidentiality of obtained and gathered data must also be authorized, even if not explicitly requested, because it is a logical consequence of seizure to allow access to all that may be obtained, whether from information technology systems, telematics or any means of storage, even if consistent with banking and/or tax confidentiality, including data stored in the cloud, through any services used,” he says.

Witzel said on Tuesday that he had not committed any irregularities and pointed out alleged interference from President Jair Bolsonaro in the investigation.

“I will continue to work with my head held high. I will keep on working to continue saving lives and correcting mistakes that all of us are likely to experience, given this very difficult moment that Brazil is going through, governed by a leader who, in addition to ignoring the danger we are facing, launches political persecutions of those he regards as enemies,” said Witzel.

Commenting on the operation, Witzel further said he had been the target of unrealistic narratives and hasty investigations. “What happened to me is going to happen to other governors who are regarded as [the President’s] enemies,” he said.

“There is absolutely no involvement or authorship by myself in any kind of irregularity in the issues surrounding the charges brought by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office. I am at the disposal of the court, my confidentiality is breached and I am reassured about the outcome of the facts. I am in line with the court decision to quickly ascertain the facts. I will not abandon my principles, much less the state of Rio de Janeiro,” he said in a statement.

The governor said he is suffering political persecution and that the search resulted in nothing since no valuables or jewels were found. “The only thing found was the pain of a man and a woman over the violence with which this deed of political persecution is starting in our country”.

“I want to express my utter outrage at the act of violence the democratic rule of law has suffered today. The narrative that was built and brought to judge Benedito is utterly fantastical. They will not succeed in attaching the label of corruption on me,” he added.

Source: Folhapress