Ethics Committee chief urges Andrés Sanchez be expelled from Corinthians | OneFootball

By Tiago Salazar

Leonardo Pantaleão, president of the Ethics and Discipline Committee of the Deliberative Council of Corinthians, suggested expelling former president Andrés Sanchez from the club’s membership after concluding his opinion on the case. The former president is being investigated internally for the alleged improper use of Timão’s corporate card during his last term in office, between 2018 and 2020.

Pantaleão was contacted by the reporters, but preferred not to comment on the case, since the proceedings are confidential.

The lawyer received the former president’s defense team’s final submission last Monday. Andrés Sanchez, as revealed by Gazeta Esportiva in mid-March, waived the testimony he was entitled to give before the Ethics Committee. In legal terms, by waiving the hearing, he consented to the continuation of the investigation within the Corinthians body.

(Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Ag. Corinthians)

Given this situation and already in possession of the defense document, Leonardo Pantaleão, the case’s rapporteur, moved forward with the investigation and concluded his opinion last Tuesday.

In the decision, sent to the other members of the Ethics Committee last Wednesday, the lawyer rebutted, point by point and on legal grounds, all the arguments presented by Andrés’ defense. At the end of the report, Pantaleão recommended Andrés’ expulsion from the club’s membership, as learned by Gazeta Esportiva.

What now?

The recommendation on whether or not to expel Andrés Sanchez from Corinthians is not solely in Pantaleão’s hands. The final opinion is made up of the lawyer’s view and those of four other members of the Ethics Committee, who will submit their respective votes with the final verdict. After gaining access to the documents, they will have five to seven business days to express their views. Silence is understood as agreement with the rapporteur’s opinion.

After this process, it will be Pantaleão’s responsibility to send the final document with the recommendation to Corinthians’ Deliberative Council, which will place the case on the agenda for final deliberation in the DC plenary session. It will then be up to the council members to decide Andrés Sanchez’s future at the club.

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According to Gazeta Esportiva, Pantaleão will send not only the panel’s final opinion, but also any dissenting votes, should that occur. The expectation is that the Ethics Committee’s final recommendation will be sent to the DC between April 15 and 16.

It is worth noting that the opinion of the Ethics and Discipline Committee is merely advisory. In this sense, the council members are not required to accept the body’s suggestion and are entitled to cast dissenting votes.

Understanding the case

As revealed by Gazeta Esportiva, Corinthians’ Justice Committee identified a series of expenses considered suspicious during Andrés Sanchez’s last term (2018-2020) that allegedly had no relation to a president’s official duties.

At first, the body listed 50 expenses, identifying locations and amounts which, added together, total R$ 190,523.54. Among the main charges separated and reviewed by the JC are expenses at hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, furniture and electronics stores, as well as costs involving an air taxi company and automotive centers.

Members of Corinthians’ Justice Committee believe there is no evidence whatsoever that these purchases were made for the club’s use or out of any need of the president. None of the expenses has any supporting documentation attached.

Prosecutors’ complaints

Andrés Sanchez was also charged twice by the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP-SP). The first complaint, for continued aggravated misappropriation, money laundering, and tax document falsification, was partially rejected by Judge Marcia Mayumi Okoda Oshira of the 2nd Court for Tax Crimes, Criminal Organization, and Money Laundering of Assets and Securities of the Capital.

However, the MP-SP, through prosecutor Cássio Roberto Conserino, appealed the decision. As a result, the judge ordered the suspension of the decision favorable to Timão’s former president and referred the case to the São Paulo State Court of Justice.

Later, Andrés was charged with money laundering and tax crimes. The Public Prosecutor’s Office also sought new financial restitution to the club from Parque São Jorge. The body’s new complaint concerns alleged personal expenses by the former president on Corinthians’ corporate card between August and September 2020, his final year in office.

Judge Marcia Mayumi Okoda Oshira, however, dismissed the complaints. The judge understood that “there was no just cause” to open criminal proceedings. It is worth remembering that the allegation of misappropriation has still not been dismissed and is being investigated by the regular criminal court.

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