Corinthians board to refer Andrés case to Ethics Committee, see details | OneFootball

By Tiago Salazar

In recent days, the Justice Committee of the Deliberative Council of Corinthians concluded its investigation into the case of Andrés Sanchez and determined that the former president did, in fact, use the corporate card for personal expenses during the 2018 to 2020 term.

As Gazeta Esportiva reported and revealed in October of last year, the club’s Justice Committee issued an opinion indicating the use of the corporate card for, initially, 50 expenses, with identification of locations and amounts that, combined, totaled R$ 190,523.54.

In this regard, the Justice Committee recommended the adoption of measures to reimburse the amounts spent by the former president to the club’s coffers, in addition to the creation of new control mechanisms and strategies.

(Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Ag. Corinthians)

Deliberative Council prepares to send case to Ethics Committee

Now, the situation is in the hands of the Deliberative Council, presided over by Romeu Tuma Júnior. The chairman is expected to send the case for evaluation by the Ethics and Discipline Committee, whose president is Leonardo Pantaleão. Gazeta Esportiva has learned that Tuma’s dispatch should occur between Tuesday and Wednesday, after the president of the Deliberative Council issues his opinion on the case.

The case is still being studied by the president of the Deliberative Council, who is seeking to understand which decisions fall within his authority. The tendency is for Tuma to forward the situation along with his assessment.

The Corinthians Ethics Committee, therefore, will be responsible for studying possible punishments for Andrés Sanchez after the Justice Committee’s finding of the use of the corporate card for personal expenses.

According to information obtained by the report, there is a strong possibility that the Ethics and Discipline Committee will issue an opinion requesting the expulsion of Andrés Sanchez from Corinthians.

After the decision by the Ethics Committee, the case returns to the Deliberative Council. Romeu Tuma Júnior will then put the matter to a vote in the plenary. If approved, Andrés Sanchez could be permanently expelled from the club. It is worth noting that the former president is currently absent from the Corinthians Deliberative Council by his own choice. There is also a suggestion for the immediate removal of former president Andrés Sanchez, filed by Leonardo Pantaleão.

Suspicious expenses

As reported, the Corinthians Justice Committee identified a series of expenses considered suspicious and unrelated to the responsibilities of a president.

The body initially listed 50 expenses, with identification of locations and amounts that, combined, total R$ 190,523.54. Among the main charges separated and reviewed by the Justice Committee are expenses with hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, furniture and electronics stores, as well as costs with an air taxi company and automotive centers.

The members of the Corinthians Justice Committee believe there is no evidence that such purchases were made for club use or out of necessity for the president. The expenses do not have any supporting documentation attached.

Prosecutor’s Office complaints

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

However, the MP-SP, through prosecutor Cássio Roberto Conserino, appealed the decision. In light of this, the judge ordered the suspension of the decision favorable to the former president of Timão and referred the case to the São Paulo Court of Justice. The process is currently suspended until the Court decides whether or not the judge will continue to preside over the judicial proceedings.

Subsequently, Andrés was charged with money laundering and tax crimes. The body also demanded new financial compensation for the Parque São Jorge club. The new MP-SP complaint concerns alleged personal expenses of the former president on the Corinthians corporate card between August and September 2020, his last year in office. Now, it is up to a judge to accept or reject the complaint.

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