Former Rio de Janeiro military policeman Ronnie Lessa, who has been in prison since March 12, 2019, accused of being one of the executioners in the death of Rio de Janeiro councilor Marielle Franco and her driver, Anderson Gomes, on March 14, 2018, was a new preventive detention order decreed this Thursday, 14, this time for the crime of money laundering. According to the investigation, from 2014 to 2019 he had a declared average monthly income of BRL 7,095.05, but he handled BRL 5,729,013.40 in his bank accounts and in “oranges”. Lessa is imprisoned in the federal penitentiary in Campo Grande-MS.
Lessa’s wife, Elaine Pereira Figueiredo Lessa, who is also already in prison, was another who had a new preventive detention order issued for the same crime of money laundering. A brother of Lessa, Denis Lessa, and a friend of his, Alexandre Motta de Souza, are also accused of participating in the money laundering scheme and had restrictions imposed by the courts. The decision was made by the 1st Specialized Court of the Capital, based on a complaint made by the Public Ministry of the State of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ), through the Task Force of the Specialized Action Group for Combating Organized Crime (GAECO/FTMA).
The police investigation that gave rise to the MP-RJ complaint was initiated by the Capital Homicide Police and sent to the General Department for Combating Corruption, Organized Crime and Money Laundering (DGCOR-LD), based on evidence collected during the investigation that found the involvement of Lessa and Élcio Queiroz in the deaths of Marielle and Anderson.
During the investigation of the murders, evidence emerged of the incompatibility between the income declared by Lessa and the standard of living exhibited by him and his family, which justified the opening of an inquiry to investigate money laundering, a suspicion confirmed during the investigations, which indicated the concealment of values and goods through “oranges”. Collaborating with the scheme, and for this reason were also denounced, Denis Lessa, Souza (used as “orange” in the purchase of a speedboat and in carrying out bank transactions) and Elaine (‘orange’ in the documentation of a Jeep Renegade vehicle).
The Court authorized Lessa’s breach of banking and tax secrecy, which allowed the verification of the average monthly income of BRL 7,095.05 between 2014 and 2019, and the movement of BRL 5,729,013.40, despite the declared income of the former PM in the period was BRL 416,226.17. According to the MP-RJ, the former PM not only moved funds in his accounts, but also in accounts opened in the name of ‘oranges’, including the three accused.
According to the MP-RJ, dozens of assets were acquired by the defendant, including luxury property in Barra da Tijuca, property in Angra dos Reis, property in Mangaratiba, a 33-foot speedboat and luxury vehicles, and part of these assets was hidden in the name of “oranges”. In addition, says the MP-RJ, there was dissimulation in real estate transactions, with the declaration of lower values in the purchase of a property in Barra da Tijuca, to hide the suspicious origin of its resources and not arouse the attention of the inspection bodies.
The MP-RJ concluded that Lessa’s financial movement and its equity evolution do not have a minimum guarantee in the lawful income and result from amounts not declared to the Brazilian State, whose origin is linked to the commission of crimes, such as homicides ordered by third parties, illegal trade of restricted use firearms and participation in criminal organizations dedicated to the exploitation of games of chance.
“Money ‘laundering’ offenses are predicated on those allegedly committed by the accused Ronnie Lessa et al., which highlights the possible commission of willful crimes against life, under the order of third parties and upon payment. With regard to the accused Elaine Lessa, there are indications of her dangerousness and the high degree of involvement in criminal actions led by her husband, having been convicted (…) of the crime of obstructing investigations when, along with other partners, arranged for the removal of Lessa’s rifles, which were hidden in a building, and then threw them into the sea”, says an excerpt of the decision.
Denis Lessa and Souza are now required to appear in court every two months to inform and justify activities, to appear in all acts of the process, when summoned, and to inform the Court of any change of address, in addition to the prohibition to leave the district without prior judicial authorization and to maintain contact with the other accused, as well as access to addresses linked to the other accused.
O state couldn’t talk to Lessa’s defense.
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