The Regional Electoral Court of Rio de Janeiro (TRE-RJ) sentenced, this Tuesday (8), Marcelo Crivella (Republicans), former mayor of the capital of Rio de Janeiro and current federal deputy.
Crivella was convicted of abuse of political and economic power and prohibited conduct in the 2020 elections.
With the decision, the former mayor is ineligible until 2028. According to TRE-RJ, Marcelo Crivella will have to pay a fine of R$ 106,410.00.
An appeal can still be made to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), in Brasília.
Basis of conviction
The Court understood that he made use of the public sector while he was in charge of Rio de Janeiro City Hall, aiming to obtain financing for his re-election campaign, via slush fund. At the time, Crivella was unable to be re-elected.
According to the rapporteur of the case, electoral judge Rafael Estrela, the former mayor commanded a scheme in the public administration that illicitly moved R$50 million, involving the enticement of businesspeople and fraud in tenders, with a view to illicit enrichment and perpetuation in power .
The operator of the scheme was businessman Rafael Alves, who was also declared ineligible until 2028 and fined R$106,410.00.
“HQ from Propina”
The judicial electoral investigation action (Aije) judged is an offshoot of the Hades operation, which led to the arrest of the then mayor, in December 2020, and investigated the case that became known as “Bribery HQ”.
Even without a position at City Hall, Rafael Alves negotiated political support from several businesspeople, in a room at the headquarters of Riotur (Tourism Company of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro), chaired by his brother Marcelo Alves.
Among the benefits offered, in exchange for economic consideration, were favoritism in tenders and receipt of payment orders from City Hall, in addition to appointment to positions.
“The activities carried out by those investigated aimed at a common goal: meeting campaign commitments in 2016 and gaining office in 2020,” said the rapporteur. “The so-called ‘investments’ discussed in the dialogues established (between Rafael Alves and businessmen) are nothing more than amounts received illicitly, returned to them as bribes, reverted to personal benefit for asset enrichment”.
A CNN tries to contact the defense of the convicted.
