GAECO, triplex and more: the prosecutor behind the Corinthians card case | OneFootball

In recent weeks, a new figure has gained notoriety behind the scenes at Corinthians and among fans on social media: Cássio Conserino, the prosecutor from the São Paulo Public Ministry (MP-SP) leading investigations into alleged improper expenses and personal spending on the club's corporate card during the administrations of Andrés Sanchez, Duilio Monteiro Alves, and Augusto Melo.

The measures already adopted by Conserino in the investigative procedure, combined with his public statements on the matter, have garnered significant support for the investigations from the fans, who are pushing for a full investigation of the allegations made after the leak of card statements and invoices paid by the club.

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But this is not the first high-profile case led by the prosecutor, who has several years of experience, working on processes relevant to recent national politics. Now check out a complete profile on Cássio Conserino's professional and academic career, produced by Central do Timão:

Professional and Academic Career

Cássio Roberto Conserino is 51 years old and holds a degree in Social Sciences from the Catholic University of Santos (Unisantos). Years later, he specialized in Criminal Law and Criminology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS). He joined the MP-SP in 2000 and in 2003 became part of the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (GAECO) of the organization, stationed in the Ribeirão Preto unit and, in 2006, transferring to Santos, where he worked until 2012.

Currently, Conserino is the 106th Public Prosecutor of the MP-SP, working at the Barra Funda Forum. In the academic field, he has been a professor of Criminal Procedure at Unaerp Guarujá, as well as a lecturer for the PNLD (National Program for Training and Recovery of Assets and Combating Corruption and Money Laundering) of the Ministry of Justice and also at the Higher School of the São Paulo Public Ministry. He is also the author of books on organized crime and money laundering.

Other highlights of his career include a practical internship at the New York County District Attorney’s Office in 2008, focusing on techniques to combat organized crime, and also an honor received in 2017: the medal of the fiftieth anniversary of the UN International Peace Forces, instituted by the ABFIP resolution (Brazilian Association of International Peace Forces).

Notable Cases and Controversies

Over 22 years of professional activity, Cássio Conserino has been at the forefront of several high-profile cases, some with ramifications in national politics. At certain times, however, his name was also the target of questions and controversies that reached the Judiciary. Check out the following:

Sexual Exploitation in Porto Ferreira (2003): Shortly before joining GAECO, Conserino was responsible for denouncing a group of councilors and businessmen from Porto Ferreira for the crime of sexual exploitation of adolescents. The investigations found that girls aged 14 to 16 were lured in front of schools and taken to farms for orgies, where they received money, drinks, and drugs. The case resulted in the arrest and conviction of six councilors, three businessmen, and a public servant.

Ribeirão Preto Garbage Mafia (2005): Two years later, the prosecutor joined the MP-SP team that investigated then-minister Antonio Palocci (PT) and his former advisor Rogério Buratti. The investigation was based on the accusation that Palocci allegedly received bribes from a garbage collection company in the city. However, in 2010, the Justice rejected the offered complaint.

Hospital in Santos (2009): Already stationed at GAECO in Santos, Conserino accused the Beneficência Portuguesa Hospital of subjecting cancer patients to radiotherapy sessions on a broken machine, using expired radiological material. The complaint prompted a CPI in the São Paulo Legislative Assembly and was accepted in court, but in 2019 seven of the 11 accused were acquitted.

PCC vs. Police Clashes (2012): The prosecutor also participated in the investigation of the murders of military police officers by members of the First Command of the Capital (PCC) and the alleged retaliations carried out by state agents that resulted in civilian deaths during a wave of violence in São Paulo.

Controversy with Police and Lawyer (2012): In the same year, Conserino temporarily arrested 13 civil police officers and a lawyer in Santos on suspicion of extortion and involvement with illegal gambling. However, all were released hours later after the Justice understood there was no evidence against them. Conserino was sued by the involved lawyer and was initially ordered to pay R$ 30,000 in damages for moral damages – but the decision was overturned on appeal.

Rodoanel Deviations (2016): The Rodoanel works were the subject of a complaint by the prosecutor against Paulo Vieira da Silva, "Paulo Preto," linked to PSDB governments in São Paulo. Conserino accused the politician of setting up a scheme to divert resources in the expropriation program for the southern section of the project.

Triplex in Guarujá (2016): The prosecutor was one of those responsible for the complaint against former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for money laundering and ideological falsehood, in the case investigating the alleged ownership of a triplex apartment in Guarujá, supposedly renovated by construction companies as a bribe to the politician. However, after the case was split so that the records related to Lula were transferred to the Lava Jato operation in Curitiba, Conserino withdrew from the case, citing suspicion for "personal reasons."

Airport Security (2016): Also in the same year, Conserino participated in an investigation into civil aviation security, which identified flaws in the baggage x-ray systems on domestic flights, noting that only a fraction of the luggage was inspected. The investigation served as a warning to authorities in the context of organizing the Olympic Games held that year in Rio de Janeiro.

Lula's Lawsuit (2019): In March of this year, the prosecutor was ordered by the court to pay R$ 60,000 in damages to Lula, in a lawsuit filed two years earlier. The action was proposed shortly after Conserino published content on a social network calling the politician a "charmer of fools," which also led to a disciplinary process in the National MP Council, which was filed. The case is still ongoing, currently in the STJ due to an appeal by Lula.

Complaint against Housing Movement (2019): Another case that drew media attention occurred when Conserino denounced 19 leaders of the Downtown Homeless Movement (MSTC) for alleged formation of a criminal organization and extortion practices. The complaint alleged that the group obtained economic advantages through "countless extortions." In July of this year, all were acquitted by the court for lack of evidence.

Investigation Archiving (2020): In April of this year, Conserino requested the archiving of an investigation initiated against the Santa Maggiore Hospital in São Paulo, following complaints verified by the Health Surveillance that it had failed to report five patient deaths from COVID-19 to the authorities, whose pandemic had just been declared by the WHO. The request was based on "absence of a typical fact."

Invasion of Itaú Building (2025): Also in July of this year, the prosecutor opened an investigation to investigate the invasion of the Faria Lima 3500 building, Itaú's headquarters in São Paulo, by protesters demanding the taxation of the super-rich, based on article 202 of the Penal Code, which provides for up to three years in prison for those who occupy a place "with the intent to impede or hinder the normal course of work, or with the same purpose to damage the establishment or the things in it."

Corinthians Corporate Cards (2025): In July of this year, Conserino opened the investigation into alleged irregular expenses during the administrations of Andrés Sanchez, Duilio Monteiro Alves, and Augusto Melo at Alvinegro. The procedure is still in preliminary stages, including the gathering of documents and the hearing of witnesses and suspects.

Editor's note: The article was edited at 9:30 am this Thursday, the 4th, for adjustments and factual corrections in the professional trajectory and in the subtopics "Controversy with Police and Lawyer" and "Lula's Lawsuit," in addition to the addition of the subtopic "Rodoanel Deviations."

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.