Gaviões press Corinthians to speed up probes into ex-presidents | OneFootball

Leaders of Gaviões da Fiel, the main organized supporters’ group of Corinthians, have contacted the club president, Osmar Stabile, and the president of the Deliberative Council, Romeu Tuma Júnior, to demand progress in the investigations into alleged improper personal expenses during the administrations of Andrés Sanchez and Duilio Monteiro Alves. The case is being investigated by the club’s Justice Committee and also by the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP-SP), under the leadership of prosecutor Cassio Roberto Conserino.

According to information obtained by Gazeta Esportiva, the organized supporters made it clear that they are closely following the progress of the cases and demand that the investigation continues transparently. Members of Gaviões also left a message for the club’s top management: they will not allow the matter to be postponed until after the club’s presidential elections, scheduled for the end of 2026.

The supporters’ group believes that any attempt to delay the investigations would be seen as a political maneuver and promises to increase pressure if they notice slowness or omission on the part of the leaders.

Andrés Case Advances

The investigations regarding the use of corporate cards during Andrés Sanchez’s administration, from 2018 to 2020, have advanced significantly at the Public Prosecutor’s Office and within Corinthians’ internal bodies.

Last week, the Justice Committee of Timão identified about R$ 190,000 in suspicious expenses and summoned the former directors who, at the time, were responsible for overseeing the use of the card to provide clarifications.

The committee initially listed 50 expenses, identifying locations and amounts that, together, total R$ 190,523.54. Among the main charges separated and reviewed by the 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 Public Prosecutor’s Office, in turn, requested from Corinthians, between September 26 and 29, data and explanations about the more than 50 suspicious purchases made by the former president between 2018 and 2020, during Andrés’ second term as Corinthians’ president.

Cassio Roberto Conserino, the prosecutor responsible for the case, set a deadline of ten calendar days for the club’s board to send the responses.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office’s intention, amid the investigation into alleged improper personal expenses, is to understand which events related to the then leader’s routine could justify the more than 50 suspicious expenses listed and, on the other hand, which expenses can actually be considered incompatible with the role of a football club president.

(Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Ag. Corinthians)

Duilio Has Request Denied

Duilio Monteiro Alves, in turn, filed for a preliminary injunction in habeas corpus against the Public Prosecutor’s Office investigation. The request, however, was denied by the courts.

Duilio claimed he suffered “illegal constraint” due to the breaking of confidentiality regarding the expenses of his administration at Corinthians. According to Gazeta Esportiva, the former president does not oppose the investigation, but does not agree with the way it is being conducted.

The use of corporate cards during Duilio’s administration will also be investigated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, but at this moment, the agency is looking into alleged invoices that point to R$ 86,000 spent during his term. Corinthians is said to have paid for personal expenses, such as beer, cigarettes, and even tadalafil, a medication for erectile dysfunction. However, these purchases were not necessarily made by Duilio.

The former president does not recognize the invoices and filed a police report at the Police Station for the Repression of Sports Intolerance Crimes (Drade/Dope), requesting that this be included in the ongoing police investigation, which denounces the circulation of false and manipulated documents.

Understand the Case

The Criminal Investigative Procedure (PIC) was opened by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in mid-June this year. At the time, the agency also scheduled hearings with the current president, Osmar Stabile, vice president Armando Mendonça, and the president of the Deliberative Council, Romeu Tuma Júnior, in order to understand how Corinthians’ corporate cards work.

Initially, the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s investigation would only cover the periods of Andrés Sanchez (2018 to 2020) and Duilio Monteiro Alves (2021 to 2023). However, after hearing some testimonies, the agency decided to also investigate the term of Augusto Melo. In addition to alleged embezzlement, possible crimes of fraud, aggravated theft, ideological falsehood, and criminal association are also being investigated.

(Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Ag. Corinthians)

The case came to light in the beginning of July, when Andrés admitted to having used the card improperly to pay for personal expenses in Tibau do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte, at the end of his last term in 2020.

Days after the revelation of the expenses, he reimbursed Corinthians with interest and monetary correction. The former president, however, is facing a disciplinary process in the club’s Ethics and Discipline Committee. Supporters are calling for punishments and even expulsion of Andrés.

There was also a charge of alleged personal expenses during Duilio Monteiro Alves’ administration. However, the expenses are not necessarily linked to the former president. He does not recognize the invoices and filed a police report at the Police Station for the Repression of Sports Intolerance Crimes (Drade/Dope), requesting that this be included in the ongoing police investigation, which denounces the circulation of false and manipulated documents.

At the beginning of September, the Public Prosecutor’s Office asked the courts for Andrés, Duilio, and Augusto Melo to be temporarily removed from Corinthians’ Deliberative and Advisory Councils during the investigation. So far, however, there has been no ruling from the Judiciary.

(Photo: Peter Leone/O Fotografico/Gazeta Press)

Corinthians reported, about two weeks ago, that it has completed the delivery of confidential documents requested by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The club makes itself available to the authorities, but fears leaks and emphasizes the need to avoid further damage to the institution’s image.

In addition to the alleged personal expenses, the Public Prosecutor’s Office has also opened an investigation to look into a possible connection between the club and the criminal faction Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), motivated by the testimony of Romeu Tuma Júnior, president of Corinthians’ Deliberative Council, taken by the agency.

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