The video misleads by claiming that Nego Di’s arrest was the result of political persecution

The arrest of the former BBB is the result of an operation by the Civil Police of Rio Grande do Sul, which began in 2022, on charges of embezzlement

Contents investigated: video in which a man calls Lula’s government a dictatorship and suggests state persecution of influencer Nego Di. In the post, he argues that Monark was right when he warned the comedian about the alleged stalking in a conversation on X.

Where it was published: TikTok and YouTube.

Conclusion of Proof: The post misleads by claiming that influencer Dilson Alves da Silva Neto, known as Nego Di, was arrested because he was persecuted for criticizing the Lula (PT) government during the Rio Grande do Sul floods.

There is no indication that the comedian’s arrest was carried out for political reasons. The influencer was arrested on July 14 in an operation launched by Rio Grande do Sul Civil Policewhich is investigating the crime of fraud committed against 370 people. Authorities have been investigating the case since 2022, before Lula took office as president.

The comedian was also the target of Operation Rifa$, launched on July 12 by Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rio Grande do Sul (MPRS)through the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco) and the Specialized Criminal Justice Prosecutor’s Office of Porto Alegre. The former BBB and his wife, Gabriela Sousa, are accused of laundering approximately R$ 2 million through illegal virtual lotteries and social media fraud.

The verified video, posted by YouTuber Ricardo Albuquerque, also known as Peter Turguniev, reveals that Monark, also a digital influencer, warned Nego Di of possible “persecution.” In the video, Peter presents a printout of X, in which the former podcaster advises the comedian to buy bitcoin and prepare to leave the country. In response, Nego Di dismissed the advice and said there was “a chasm” between the two’s attitudes and speeches.

The dialogue took place between May 14 and 15, shortly after the Court of Justice (TJ) ruled that Nego Di had to delete posts with false information about the floods. He also posted, for example, an old video of a person killed in another tragedy, as if it had been recorded in RS. The court ordered the immediate deletion of the posts and prohibited the influencer from repeating the false statements, under penalty of a fine of R$ 100,000.

Following the comedian’s response, Monark reposted a follower’s comment who agreed with Nego Di’s warning and claimed that the influencer “he still believes that one can be free and not suffer the consequences.”

Contrary to what the verified video claims, all the complaints were filed at the state level, through the Civil Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rio Grande do Sul, without the participation of federal agencies.

Regarding the arrest of Nego Di, the head of the Civil Police of Rio Grande do Sul, Fernando Sodré, denied in an interview with CNN that the detention was motivated by political persecution. He stressed that the investigation began in 2022, even before Lula took office and any political demonstrations by Nego Di. According to Sodré, the investigation was completed in 2023, before the floods.

The investigator also emphasizes that the evidence in the case is technical and that, for the police, there is no doubt that the influencer entered into an undue and illicit process.

In response to Comprova, Nego Di’s defense stated that the arrest of Anderson Bonetti, identified as the influencer’s partner, carried out on July 22 is “decisive to clarify the facts and demonstrate the innocence of the digital content creator”. Lawyers Tatiana Borsa and Camila Kersch also reiterated that the trial is being held in secret and, for this reason, the defense will speak at the appropriate time.

The report also contacted the author of the video, but no response was received until this text was published.

Misleadingfor Comprova, is content taken from its original context and used in another so that its meaning changes; that uses inaccurate data or that leads to an interpretation different from the intentions of its author; content that confuses, with or without the deliberate intent to cause harm.

Scope of publication: Comprova investigates suspicious content with the largest reach on social media. As of July 26, the Comprova-vetted post on TikTok had 33,000 views. On YouTube, where the edit was made, the video had 85.3k views.

Sources we consulted: We have identified the original video publication on YouTube, from which the cut was made. We also used as a source a report published by CNN. To gather information about the charges against Nego Di, we consulted the website of the Civil Police and the Public Ministry of Rio Grande do Sul and contacted the influencer’s consultants.

Charges against Nego Di

Nego Di was arrested on July 14 in a residence on the beach of Jurerê, in Florianópolis (SC)in Operation 300+, which resulted from an investigation that lasted more than a year. During this time, documents, 370 incidents and related attachments, hundreds of pages of bank data and 73 videos were analyzed.

Also under investigation is BBB’s former partner, Anderson Bonetti. In March 2022, the two created the virtual store “Tadizuera”, linked to the image of the influencer, where they would have sold products such as televisions, air conditioners and cell phones, below the market price. According to the investigation, however, the objects were never delivered to the buyers. The website was suspended by court decision in June 2022 and the loss caused by the fraud amounts to approximately R$ 5 million.

In another MPRS investigation, Nego Di and his wife are suspected of fraud and money laundering. According to the agency, the couple raised approximately R$ 2 million by promoting illegal virtual lotteries. The prizes, which would be money and high-value goods, would also not have been awarded.

In Operation Rifa$, launched on July 12 in Santa Catarina, the MP seized two luxury vehicles, ammunition and an unregistered weapon for the exclusive use of the Armed Forces. Gabriela was arrested for illegal possession of weapons, but was released after paying a R$ 14,000 bail.

Why Comprova investigated this publication: Comprova monitors suspicious content posted on social networks and messaging apps about public policy, health, climate change, and federal elections and opens investigations into those publications that have the greatest reach and engagement. You can also suggest checks via WhatsApp +55 11 97045-4984.

Further checks on the topic: During the Rio Grande do Sul floods, the comedian was one of the public figures who spread misinformation about the actions of the federal and state governments. Aos Fatos has shown that a widely spread rumor by Nego Di that the RS government to ban use of volunteer jet skis and boats. Comprova has already proven that it is misleading With the tax reform all freelancers will be required to pay 26.5% taxes and that the Europe would block imports from Brazil.

*This audit included the participation of journalists participating in the Comprova Residency Program.

** Projeto Comprova is a non-profit collaborative initiative led and maintained by the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji), which brings together journalists from 42 Brazilian media outlets to discover, investigate and debunk suspicious content about public policy, elections, health and climate change shared on social media.

Source: Terra

Rose

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.