The evangelical couple was arrested on suspicion of founding churches to serve as a “laundry” for money from a Brazilian criminal faction, managing to move 4.13 million euros in recent years.
A couple of evangelical pastors were arrested this Tuesday in Brazil on suspicion of laundering money from a leader of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) criminal faction, the Federal Public Ministry said.
The couple detained in the city of Sorocaba, in the interior of São Paulo, according to the authorities, founded seven churches under the name Assembly of God for the Nations to serve as a “washing place” for the PCC, in a scheme that moved at least 23 million reais (4.13 million euros) in recent years.
“The action complied with the search and kidnapping orders in some of these churches,” the Public Ministry said in a statement.
Authorities also suspect that the money was laundered. through the purchase of real estate, farms and livestock.
The main suspect in the operation is Valdeci Alves dos Santos, “designated by the São Paulo Public Ministry, in a separate action, as the leader of the First Command of the Capital (…), a criminal faction that emerged in São Paulo that imprisons and operates in throughout Brazil and in neighboring countries. Valdeci was already imprisoned in the Federal Penitentiary of Brasilia”, detailed the Public Ministry.
Source: Observadora
