Sérgio Xavier, former Pernambuco secretary of the Environment, and nine other targets of Operation Fantoche will face prosecution for “qualified theft” in an alleged scheme that allegedly siphoned off R$6 million from System S; Activist says complaint is “absurd” and “heated up”
The Federal Court upheld the Federal Prosecution’s complaint (MPF) and initiated a criminal case for alleged misappropriation of BRL 6 million by System S in contracts for cultural programs in Pernambuco. Dez acusados vão responder por ‘qualified theft’.
One of the defendants is Sérgio Xavier, former Secretary of the Environment of Pernambuco and current executive coordinator of the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change (FBMC), an agency linked to the federal government.
Xavier was appointed to this role on July 5, by act of President Lula and Environment Minister Marina Silva. The activity is voluntary and without pay.
When questioned by the report, he denied all wrongdoing. Xavier says he has a long history of environmental activism and has “never been accused of any deviance”. He also classified the allegation as “heated” and “baseless”.
“Over the past ten years, the MPF has filed a complaint for ’embezzlement’ which was dismissed (there being no appeal from any public body) and quickly dismissed by the court,” reads an excerpt from the statement. “It is incomprehensible that someone who has already been exonerated is reliving the nightmare of an absurd and unjust accusation”, the text continues (read the full text at the end of the article).
The contracts in question were signed to sponsor the 2014 and 2017 editions of Relix Pernambuco, a program focused on art, education, technology and sustainability.
Prosecutor Silvia Regina Pontes Lopes, who signs the complaint, claims that the executives signed contracts without researching prices and without monitoring the execution of the budget, which would have given way to overbilling and deviations.
View all defendants:
- Ricardo Essinger – regional director of the Federation of Industries of Pernambuco (Fiepe) and of the Social Service of Industry (Sesi) in the state;
- Sérgio Luís de Carvalho Xavier – former Secretary of the Environment of Pernambuco and coordinator of the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change;
- Ernane de Aguiar Gomes – at the time Superintendent of the National Department of Sesi-PE;
- Hebron Costa Cruz de Oliveira – director of the Origami Institute;
- Romero Neves Silveira Souza Filho – Director of the Origami Institute;
- Júlio Ricardo Rodrigues Neves – partner of Idea Lease of Structures and Lighting;
- Luiz Otávio Gomes Vieira da Silva – administrator of Aliança Comunicação e Cultura;
- Lina Rosa Gomes Vieira da Silva – administrator of Aliança Comunicação e Cultura;
- Luiz Antônio Gomes Vieira da Silva – director of Alto Impacto Entretenimento;
- Nilo Augusto Câmara Simões – former Superintendent of the National Department of Sesi-PE.
Judge Jaime Travassos Sarinho, deputy of the IV Federal Court of Pernambuco, considered in a preliminary analysis that there are sufficient elements to open the process. There is no analysis of the merits of the allegations at this stage.
“The complaint presents the circumstances of time and place and sufficiently describes the defendant’s conduct, even if his proof depends on a set of evidence that will be confirmed – or not – only after regular criminal investigation,” wrote Jaime Travassos Sarinho.
WITH THE WORD, SERGIO XAVIER
“This complaint, involving a private activity carried out nearly 10 years ago, was dismissed and dismissed by the courts, simply because there was no public appeal. By circumventing a decision by the STJ and publicly attacking people who have never committed wrongdoing that involved recycling, environment, education, performing arts and support for collectors’ cooperatives; (2) There is evidence that the services were provided by the company SX Brasil, of which he was a partner, to another private company – Aliança Comunicação, and were paid by proper invoice issuance and correct bank transfers between legal entities (3) There was no public funding and the Project results were widely recognized and disseminated in the press In the past ten years, MPF filed a complaint for “embezzlement”, which was rejected (no appeal was filed by any public body) and quickly rejected by the courts. Now, the same prosecutor, without presenting new facts, replies the complaint and seeks space in the press, repeating something groundless and already definitively judged. It is incomprehensible that someone already exonerated is reliving the nightmare of an absurd and unjust accusation. With a long history of environmental activism and public action, Sérgio Xavier has never been accused of deviation. He currently coordinates the Brazilian Climate Change Forum, a voluntary and unpaid activity.”
WITH THE WORD, THE OTHER MENTIONED
The report seeks contact with those cited. The space is open to the event (rayssa.motta@estadao.com, fausto.macedo@estadao.com).
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
