Former minister Milton Ribeiro was arrested in an operation that investigates influence peddling and corruption involving pastors
The Ministry of Education stated that the PF (Federal Police) operation carried out this Wednesday (June 22, 2022) “involve the previous management of the folder”. The PF arrested former minister Milton Ribeiro in the case that investigates corruption and influence peddling in the MEC related to the work of pastors.
Four Federal Police agents have been at the MEC headquarters since approximately 8 am this morning. They carry out search and seizure warrants. The members of the PF were received by the Executive Secretariat of the folder.
“The Ministry of Education welcomed the team to continue collaborating with all investigation instances involving the previous management of the portfolio”, said the agency. Here’s the intact (26 KB) of the release.
The ministry also said it was contributing to the control bodies. “MEC emphasizes that the Federal Government does not condone any irregular act”, informed.
Former minister Milton Ribeiro should be brought to Brasília this Wednesday and should hold a custody hearing on Thursday. The PF operation also fulfills search and seizure warrants against pastors Arilton Moura and Gilmar Santos. Pastor Gilmar Santos has also been arrested by the PF.
Milton Ribeiro is the president’s first ex-minister Jair Bolsonaro (PL) to be arrested. The “Paid Access” operation was launched this Wednesday (June 22). The investigation investigates the practice of influence peddling and corruption for the release of public resources from the FNDE (National Fund for the Development of Education).
The former minister was arrested for the crimes of influence peddling (sentence from 2 to 5 years of imprisonment), passive corruption (2 to 12 years of imprisonment), malfeasance (3 months to 1 year of imprisonment) and administrative law ( 1 to 3 months). Here’s the intact of Milton Ribeiro’s arrest warrant (122 KB).
13 search and seizure warrants and 5 arrests are carried out in the states of Goiás, São Paulo, Pará and the Federal District. The court orders were issued by the 15th Federal Criminal Court of the Judiciary Section of the Federal District.
The Federal Supreme Court (STF) sent the investigation against Ribeiro to the lower court in early June.
UNDERSTAND THE CASE
The investigation against Ribeiro finds out whether people with no ties to the Ministry of Education acted to release resources from the FNDE (National Fund for the Development of Education). The request to open an investigation was made after suspicions involving the performance of pastors Gilmar dos Santos and Arilton Moura.
Milton Ribeiro resigned as Minister of Education on March 28. The removal was requested after a leaked audio showed the minister saying that he prioritized the transfer of funds to municipalities indicated by an evangelical pastor at the request of the president.
In audios released on March 22, Milton Ribeiro said that his priority “it is to first serve the municipalities that need it most and, secondly, to serve all those who are friends of Pastor Gilmar”. He also stated that this “It was a special request that the President of the Republic [Jair Bolsonaro]” did.
Listen to Milton Ribeiro’s audio (54s):
Pastor Gilmar dos Santos is the leader of the Christ for All Ministry, one of the evangelical churches of the Assembly of God in Goiânia (GO). The minister made the statement at a meeting at the MEC that was attended by Gilmar, mayors, leaders of the FNDE (National Fund for the Development of Education) and Pastor Arilton Moura.
The Minister of Education confirmed that he received the pastors for the 1st time at the request of Bolsonaro and said that meeting the demands of mayors who came to the portfolio followed technical criteria.
According to Ribeiro, requests made to the ministry are included in a list organized by FNDE technicians. Officials would be responsible for determining the transfer of funds, he said. The minister also said he never asked the fund to prioritize specific demands.
SHEPHERDS AT MEC
Pastor Arilton Moura, one of the suspects of participating in an alleged corruption scheme in the MEC (Ministry of Education) was at Palácio do Planalto 35 times, from January 2019 to February 2022. Gilmar Santos, the other pastor who would have acted in the scheme , been 10 times. read the intact of records (233 KB).
Arilton Moura was 16 times in the Secretariat of Government and 13 times in the Civil House. He also made 3 visits to the vice president’s office, Hamilton Mourão, by the office responsible for Bolsonaro’s commitments, and by the Subchefia de Pessoas Jurídicas (SAJ). Gilmar Santos was also in these places.
BOLSONARO AND MILTON RIBEIRO
At the time the case came to light, President Jair Bolsonaro stated that “put your face in the fire” in defense of the then minister Milton Ribeiro. The chief executive called the suspicions that the minister had brokered the release of funds for evangelical pastors cowardice.
“Rare thing for me to say here, I set my face on fire for Milton. My whole face on fire for Milton. They are cowardly with him”, said in live on the social networks.
The president also stated, in March, that Milton Ribeiro left the government “temporarily”.
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