Justice Keeps Mia Montenegro in Preventive Detention Over Alleged Multimillion‑Real Art Fraud

Overview

• Police arrested Michele Coelho Montenegro, known as Mia Montenegro, during Operação Tela Falsa at her Ipanema apartment and executed searches in Recreio, Barra da Tijuca and Niterói with at least one painting recovered.
• A custody hearing that on June 5 resulted in the maintenance of her preventive detention left Montenegro held at Instituto Penal Oscar Stevenson while investigations continue.
• The 5ª Promotoria filed a criminal complaint accusing her of estelionato and misappropriation and naming two Ivan Serpa works valued together at about US$750,000 and two Sérgio Camargo pieces valued at roughly R$5.36 million.
• Investigators say Montenegro gained trust by presenting herself as a lawyer and heiress, a victim antiquarian handed over four works and several checks bounced during the negotiations.
• Her defense says she is a victim and seeks access to the case files, while authorities say she is cited in 17 related procedures as they trace assets and examine other people and seized items, a probe that highlights risks in high‑end art deals.