Marcola's defense speaks out after operation against the PCC; look
Among the names obtained by Operation Vérnix, carried out this Thursday (21) by Gaeco (Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime) of Presidente Prudente, with support from the Civil Police of São Paulo, is that of Marcos Willians Herbas Camacho, also known as Marcola, appointed by the authorities as the main leader of the PCC (First Command of the Capital).
The case drew even more attention because Marcola has already been imprisoned for years in a federal penitentiary in Brasília, but received an arrest warrant anyway. In addition to the faction leader, influencer and lawyer Deolane Bezerra was also the subject of a warrant and was arrested.
Bruno Ferullo, lawyer representing Marcola, pointed out that it is necessary to remember that the process is still in the police investigation phase, the period of which is based on "indications" and "suspicions". For Bruno, expressions have a "limited evidentiary weight and need to be subjected to contradiction before any conclusion can be reached."
In front of the DHPP (State Department of Homicide and Personal Protection), on Thursday afternoon, Ferullo highlighted that he had not yet had access to the case files and explained what Marcola's possible connection with the lawyer and influencer might be:
"What we were told is that there was a conversation between individuals, who associated him [Marcola] with a vulgar person, recognized as 'Nose' [...] and then they made this association", explained the lawyer. According to the São Paulo Public Ministry, Marcola's family worked with the influencer to launder money from the country's main criminal faction.
During his speech, Bruno also highlighted that it would be "practically impossible" for Marcola to still command the faction from inside the prison. "Even because, in a Federal Penitentiary in Brasília, everything that is discussed with Marco (with the lawyer or with the family) is monitored by audio and video", he pointed out.
In a note, the lawyer also informed that the phase of the process concerns the moment in which the facts must be "effectively investigated". Read the note in full:
"Bruno Ferullo, Marco Willians Herbas Camacho's lawyer, has come forward to clarify the facts related to Operation Vernix, launched on the morning of this Thursday, May 21, 2026, conducted by the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (GAECO) of the region of Presidente Prudente, with the support of the Civil Police of the State of São Paulo. The operation falls within the scope of investigations into alleged criminal organization and laundering practices of money, involving alleged incompatible financial transactions and business connections investigated by the Public Prosecutor's Office. It is important to contextualize that this entire investigative chain originated in July 2019, when prison officers found discarded manuscripts in the sewage tank of a cell at the Il de Presidente Venceslau Penitentiary, inhabited by two other prisoners. region, Lopes Lemos Transportes Ltda. From this single mention, successive investigations unfolded that, years later, reached Marco's name. Compliance with precautionary measures does not imply, under any circumstances, a presumption of guilt. It is essential to make it clear that we are in the investigation phase. police, which relies exclusively on 'indication and suspicion', expressions that, in law, have limited probative weight and that need to be submitted to adversarial proceedings before any conclusion can be reached. We ask the press and society to guarantee the presumption of innocence, a fundamental right of the Brazilian legal system, refraining from hasty conclusions that could harm the progress of the process and the image of those involved before any definitive judicial pronouncement."
Deolane and Marcola are targets of the same operation against the PCC | CNN NEW DAY
Laundering scheme
The investigations revealed a million-dollar financial mechanism used to hide, dissimulate and reinsert into the formal economy values linked to the top leadership of the PCC criminal faction.
In this Thursday's action, six preventive arrest warrants were served: in addition to Deolane and Marcola, there are also a brother and two nephews of the man identified as number 1 of the faction, and one being investigated who would be the financial operator of the scheme, identified as Everton de Souza, aka "Player".
In 2019, Criminal Police agents seized notes and manuscripts inside Presidente Venceslau Penitentiary II, which were with two prisoners. The contents of the materials revealed some internal dynamics of the faction, such as the actions of imprisoned leaders and possible attacks against public agents.
See: Gaeco investigation points to Deolane Bezerra's direct connection with PCC
Three investigations were launched after the discovery, seeking to identify all the layers involved in the scheme. According to the authorities, the content of these notes included internal orders from the faction, contacts with members of high hierarchical position and mentions of violent actions against public servants.
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Deolane is identified by investigations as a member of the PCC - CNN Brasil/Reinaldo Macedo
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Deolane is identified by investigations as a member of the PCC - CNN Brasil/Reinaldo Macedo
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Deolane is identified by investigations as a member of the PCC - CNN Brasil/Reinaldo Macedo
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Deolane is identified by investigations as a member of the PCC - CNN Brasil/Reinaldo Macedo
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Deolane is identified by investigations as a member of the PCC - CNN Brasil/Reinaldo Macedo
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Among the excerpts analyzed, there was mention of a "transportation woman", who had collected addresses of public agents to subsidize attacks planned by the PCC. The second investigation sought to identify who the woman mentioned was and what the transport company's relationship with the faction would be.
The investigation resulted in Operation Lado a Lado, which revealed incompatible financial movements, asset growth without sufficient economic backing and the use of the transport company as the true financial arm of the faction.
During the operation, the seizure of a cell phone opened a new investigative front. The content removed from the device revealed conversations with people linked to the PCC leadership, as well as evidence of financial transfers and connections with Deolane Bezerra.
What Deolane's family says
On social media, the influencer's lawyer and sister, Daniele Bezerra, stated that Deolane's new arrest means persecution against the lawyer. See full note:
"Today, once again, they try to turn assumptions into truths and headlines into condemnations. The arrest of Deolane Bezerra, on allegations of participation in a criminal organization, is surrounded by lessons, narratives and persecutions that have been repeated for some time. Accusing is easy. It's difficult to prove. In Brazil, unfortunately, people often first expose themselves, destroy their image and condemn themselves in public opinion... and only then seek evidence to support what was done. And that is serious. It cannot be accepted that Justice is used as a spectacle, nor that people are treated as guilty before due legal process.
Prison cannot be an instrument of pressure, marketing or social revenge. Anyone who knows the story, the struggle and its trajectory knows that there is a huge difference between facts and narratives created to fuel attacks. We will continue to trust in the truth, in Justice and in the right to defense, because persecution remains persecution, even when they try to give it another name."
Deolane Bezerra: see the timeline of the influencer's case
Source: CNN