STF Case Against Silvio Almeida Stalled After Four Months of Failed Citation

Overview

• The criminal complaint filed by the Procuradoria‑Geral da República on March 4 alleges sexual importunation by ex‑minister Silvio Almeida against minister Anielle Franco and has been blocked by unsuccessful service attempts for about four months.
• The relator, Supreme Court Minister André Mendonça, returned the file to the Justiça de São Paulo for a new citation after officials reported they could not locate Almeida at the address in the case record.
• Formal citation is required before Almeida can submit a written defense within 15 days and before the court can vote on whether to turn the PGR allegation into a criminal action, so the failed notifications have frozen procedural progress.
• The PGR complaint cites testimony that includes a statement from Polícia Federal director Andrei Rodrigues describing Anielle Franco as visibly shaken after the meeting in question, while Almeida has publicly denied wrongdoing and his lawyers say he is not evading citation.
• The case remains under judicial secrecy and also faces an administrative ethics inquiry in the Presidency, and the continued delay could slow legal resolution and prolong political and reputational consequences for the people involved.