RJ: Understand the operation that arrested the president of Rio Metrópole

The president of IRM (Instituto Rio Metrópole), Davi Perini Vermelho, known as "Didê", was arrested in an operation by the MPRJ (Public Ministry of the State of Rio de Janeiro), this Thursday morning (9). The action is against a scheme of embezzlement of public resources at the institution, which would have generated R$86.28 million between July 2022 and May 2026.

In addition to "Didê", four other people were arrested. They are Civil Police Chief Franquis Dias Nepomuceno, State Attorney Marcelo Lopes da Silva, former IRM inspector Caroline Soares Barros, known in investigations as the "Woman in the Suitcase" and Amanda Íthala Santos da Paschoa.

In total, the GAESF/MPRJ (Specialized Action Group for the Defense of Integrity and Repression of Tax Evasion) denounced 11 people for the crimes of criminal organization, passive corruption, bid fraud and money laundering.

Investigations, illegal contracts and the R$86 million
According to the Public Ministry, the investigations began after an audit ordered by the management of acting governor Ricardo Couto.

The investigation shows that IRM entered into contracts considered illegal that generated R$86.28 million between July 2022 and May 2026.

According to the complaint, companies hired by the institute passed on part of the resources to Instituto BIO (Brazilian Institute of Organics). The entity is identified as a "facade". From there, the money was withdrawn in cash. According to the MP, the objective was to make it difficult to track misappropriated amounts.

Who's who in the operation

- Davi Perini Vermelho ("Didê") - president of the Rio Metrópole Institute and former president of the Chamber of São João de Meriti. According to the investigation, he led the group of public agents, authorizing hiring, signing contracts and controlling payments.
- Franquis Dias Nepomuceno - Civil Police delegate and director of Integrated Metropolitan Development at IRM. According to the MPRJ, he acted as an expense organizer and exercised control over the RioForte group, responsible for the armed escort of amounts withdrawn in cash.
- Marcelo Lopes da Silva - State attorney and then head of the IRM Attorney General's Office. He is accused of issuing opinions that gave legal support to the hiring and the readjustment considered irregular in the contracts.
- Caroline Soares Barros - former IRM contract inspector and president of the BIO Institute. Appointed as the "Woman with the Suitcase", she is suspected of looting millions of dollars in cash from misappropriated resources. According to investigations, she had an armed escort from surveillance companies while transporting the money.
- Amanda Íthala Santos da Paschoa - succeeded Caroline in the inspection and certified the execution of the contracts.

Outlaw and father of a deputy

- Maurício Silva Knoploch dos Santos - director of Planning and Projects at IRM and member of the Technical Bidding Committee. Appointed as articulator of the direction of bidding in favor of the companies investigated. He is the father of state deputy Alexandre Knoploch (PL) and, until the last update of this report, he was considered a fugitive.

Warrants and precautionary measures
In addition to the arrests, nine search and seizure warrants were executed in the capital, in São Gonçalo and Teresópolis.

Another six defendants are also being investigated for their participation in the scheme. For some of them, the Court determined precautionary measures, such as the use of electronic ankle bracelets, periodic appearances in court and a ban on leaving the country.

What the Government of Rio says
"The operation carried out today by the Public Ministry (MPRJ) is the result of joint work between State bodies. The State Government identified signs of irregularities in contracts, through an audit carried out by the State Comptroller General (CGE) and the Institutional Security Office (GSI) at the Rio Metrópole Institute (IRM).

As soon as the reports were completed, the State Government formally forwarded the material to the Public Ministry, the body competent to conduct criminal investigations.

The MP deepened the investigation, gathered the necessary evidence and requested the legal measures carried out this Thursday.

It is important to highlight that the Rio Metrópole Institute is an autarchy whose presidency has a fixed term of office of four years. Unlike freely appointed and dismissed positions, the current management was appointed in the previous administration and has a mandate until the end of December 2026.

The State Government reinforces its commitment to transparency, the correct application of public resources and the fight against corruption."

CNN Brasil is trying to contact the defense of those mentioned.

Source: CNN