STF Convicts PL Lawmakers for Selling Budget Earmarks in Landmark Graft Case

Overview

• The Supreme Court’s First Panel unanimously found Josimar Maranhãozinho, Pastor Gil and Bosco Costa guilty of passive corruption for soliciting payments to direct health funds to São José de Ribamar, absolving them of criminal organization charges.
• Sentences range from five years to six years and five months in semi-open regime, with joint reparations of R$1.7 million, immediate communication of inelegibility to the electoral court and a later decision by the Chamber on any mandate losses.
• Ministers highlighted robust financial records, messaging and seized device data as proof, calling the case the Court’s first criminal ruling on emenda diversion and a reference point for dozens of similar investigations.
• Government allies on the Organized Crime CPI moved to vote requests to pierce bank and tax secrecy of Paulo Guedes, Roberto Campos Neto and former minister José Carlos Oliveira, and to summon PL leader Valdemar Costa Neto over links probed in the Banco Master and INSS scandals.
• Parallel probes advanced as the Federal Police opened an inquiry into fuel-price swings for possible economic crimes, PF documents flagged alleged appointment trading and suspect loans tied to deputy Rodrigo Bacellar, and Rio’s reported armed pursuit of secretary João Pires shifted to a homicide unit with a request for federal protection.