The final report of the Senate‘s Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on the Manipulation of Games and Sports Betting recommends the indictment of Bruno Tolentino, uncle of player Lucas Paquetá, and businessmen William Rogatto and Thiago Chambó Andrade.
Therefore, authorities accuse them of being involved in match-fixing schemes in the world of football. However, the document does not include the indictment of any player.
Senator Romário (PL-RJ) prepared the report, which will be read at the CPI this Tuesday and voted on on Wednesday. During the investigations, the commission summoned Lucas Paquetá and influencer Deolane Bezerra, but chose not to recommend the indictment of either.
Paquetá, who plays for West Ham, is still the target of an investigation in England on suspicion of involvement in match-fixing in the English Championship.
The CPI also decided not to seek the indictment of Bruno Lopez, a former player identified as one of the leaders of a game manipulation scheme in Brazil. He signed a non-criminal prosecution agreement with the Public Ministry.
Indictment of Lucas Paquetá’s uncle
The report calls for the indictment of Bruno Tolentino for the crime of offering or promising an advantage to change the result of sporting competitions. The expected penalty varies from two to six years in prison.
During the investigation, the CPI broke Tolentino’s banking secrecy and found that he paid R$30,000 to player Luiz Henrique, formerly of Botafogo.
The athlete received a suspicious yellow card when playing for Betis, in Spain, in 2023. According to the report, the amount would have been a payment “for his participation in manipulations”.
The “King of Relegations”
William Rogatto, who confessed to participating in match-fixing schemes in a statement to the CPI, is also the target of the report. The CPI is asking for his indictment for fraud in sports competitions and for promising an advantage to change game results.
Thiago Chambó is also accused of the same crimes and his combined sentences can reach 12 years in prison.
Interpol arrested Rogatto in November 2024, in Dubai. He was also the target of Operation VAR, by the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police, which investigates the manipulation of games in Series B of the Carioca Championship.
Known as the “King of Relegations”, Rogatto stated at the CPI that he profited around R$300 million from manipulating results. According to him, the scheme caused 42 club relegations in 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District, in addition to operations in nine countries.
Santa Maria, a club from the Federal District, accumulated just three points in the 2024 state championship and suffered relegation. The club’s president, Dayana Nunes, also testified to the CPI.
Position of the Public Ministry-DF and next steps
The Public Ministry of the Federal District and Territories (MP-DFT) names Rogatto as head of the scheme and as the main person responsible for manipulating the results of at least two championship games.
He would have taken over management of Santa Maria, promising to form a competitive team, but convinced players to manipulate matches to benefit bets. The police are currently investigating Rogatto in operations Fim de Jogo, by the MP-DFT, and Jogada Ensaiada, by the Federal Police.
The report also accuses Thiago Chambó of disobeying a court order by refusing to give a statement. Chambó was arrested in Operation Maximum Penalty, by the Public Ministry of Goiás, in 2023.
According to the investigation, he was part of the group that financed game manipulation and raised money to pay the players involved.
Bruno Lopez, former player and whistleblower of the scheme, stated at the CPI that “Chambó offered and negotiated transfers to players who agreed to participate in the scheme”. Lopez added that “the amount paid reached R$70,000 per yellow card and, for expulsions and penalties, it could reach R$150,000.”
If approved, the report will be forwarded to the Public Ministry and Justice. Lawyer Leonardo Ruiz Machado, partner at the Viseu firm, highlights that “the authorities may or may not comply with the CPI’s recommendations”. He also highlighted the absence of players in the indictment request.
