Prosecutor outlines steps taken in probe of Corinthians’ corporate cards | OneFootball

Last Friday, prosecutor Cássio Conserino, responsible for investigations into alleged irregular expenses and personal spending on Corinthians' corporate card during the administrations of Andrés Sanchez, Duilio Monteiro Alves, and Augusto Melo, gave an interview to Rádio Bandeirantes, where he discussed the proceedings since their initiation in July.

Conserino explained that the investigation was opened after receiving a complaint from a fan, and the procedure has been seeking to determine the authorship and materiality of possible crimes committed by the former leaders. The prosecutor also stated that the Public Prosecutor's Office of São Paulo (MP-SP) has been encountering obstacles with Corinthians, especially during attempts to obtain financial documents and other statements:

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"Although we had requested documentation, these requests were not fulfilled. And it's worth saying that a request is not an invitation; a request is an order. Not for the prosecutor, but for the power that the prosecutor represents. Not for me, but for any prosecutor. When there is a request, it is viable to expect that these documents will be provided. However, we tried to move forward quickly, even though there was a certain demonstration that they wanted to cooperate, but in practice, the opposite was seen."

Conserino detailed some of the measures already taken in the investigative procedure: breaking the confidentiality of Corinthians' corporate cards, hearings with the owners of the company Oliveira Minimercados (which issued the equivalent of R$ 32,000 in invoices to the club, for alleged buffet services), and the request for temporary suspension of the former black-and-white presidents from any positions on the club's boards.

The prosecutor also spoke about the hearing of Romeu Tuma Junior, president of the Deliberative Council (CD), and his level of cooperation with the investigation. "He gave a compelling testimony, and it was not only his testimony that gave rise to the investigation's stance. If we are in an investigation where we are requesting documentation, and there is an obstacle, the only way within the law is to postulate (the documents) to the Judiciary. That's what was done," he explained.

At another moment in the interview, Conserino avoided anticipating an outcome for the investigations, but stated that there are already "compelling evidence" against one of the investigated for the use of a "cold invoice". He also opined on the theft of documents reported by the club in May, expressing disbelief at the lack of digitization of its physical documentation, which makes it vulnerable.

Finally, he expressed his feelings about handling the case while being a Corinthians fan: "I am absolutely sad. It is not possible that a club with 30 million fans owes R$ 2.6 billion (and lives) mired in scandal. Who pays for that (corporate card) is the club. So, this situation is regrettable. And what saddens me the most, besides that, is the lack of commitment. As a prosecutor and by duty of office, I initiated an investigation, because I am a Corinthians fan. But it is too sad to deal with this situation, considering that Corinthians is a cultural heritage. Corinthians is much more than the leaders who are there now. Corinthians needs to be preserved."

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