Brazilian police investigate diversion of R$198 million from health and education in COP30 host state
03 de September de 2025
By Fabyo Cruz – From Cenarium
BELÉM (PA) – The Federal Police (PF) launched on Tuesday, 2, Operation Expertise, which investigates a scheme of embezzlement of public funds from health and education in Pará. According to the investigations, up to R$198 million may have been diverted from resources of the Fund for the Maintenance and Development of Basic Education (Fundeb) and the National Health Fund (FNS), through fraud in public bids and administrative contracts.
Among the targets of the operation are employees of the Government of Pará, the Legislative Assembly of Pará (Alepa), the Municipality of Marituba, as well as businesspeople and shell companies. According to the PF, the group rigged bids, carried out irregular adhesions to price registration records, and simulated or only partially executed contracts. After the transfers, the amounts were withdrawn in cash and distributed among those involved.
To enforce the judicial measures, 65 federal police officers and six auditors from the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU) participated in the action. A total of 18 search and seizure warrants were issued in Belém and Marituba, along with five preventive arrest warrants. Authorities also ordered the freezing of up to R$198 million in assets, the lifting of banking and tax secrecy of 17 suspects, the precautionary removal of six public servants, and the suspension of the activities of four companies. One of the suspects must wear an electronic ankle monitor.
During the enforcement of the measures, the PF seized R$881,000 in national and foreign currency, 31 vehicles, 88 pieces of jewelry, and seven Rolex watches. Although the corporation did not officially release the names of those under investigation, part of them was revealed by journalist Fabio Serapião, from the Metrópoles portal.
According to the report, those mentioned include Celso da Silva Mascarenhas, director of the Scientific Police; Denis Figueiredo da Silva, expert at the Scientific Police; Edilvandro Augusto de Almeida Pereira, employee of Detran/PA; Renata Mirella Freitas, director of Detran/PA; Fabrício Buarque Correa, chief of staff of the Alepa presidency; and Sandro Rogério Nogueira Sousa Matos, Alepa employee. Also mentioned were the secretary of Education of Marituba, Ana Claudia Duarte Lopes, as well as Alberto Furtado Pinheiro, Alex Jordan Santos da Cunha, and Jacélio Faria da Igreja.
Five of the suspects are in preventive custody, and the Court ordered the indefinite suspension of the contracts signed by the investigated companies with agencies of the Government of Pará and the Municipality of Marituba.
CENARIUM contacted the bodies mentioned in the report. Alepa confirmed that PF agents were at the headquarters on Tuesday to enforce warrants against two employees, but classified the case as “an isolated fact that does not concern Alepa.” In a note, the institution also stated that the investigations are under judicial secrecy and that business continues as usual. The Scientific Police of Pará (PCEPA) and the State Department of Transit of Pará (Detran-PA) declared they have no knowledge of the content of the investigation.
The Municipality of Marituba stated, in a press release, that the “Marituba Secretariat of Education is fully cooperating with the investigations and providing all the information requested to clarify the facts” and reaffirmed its commitment “to transparency and legality in all its administrative acts.”