The Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) has summoned Bruno Henrique, a Flamengo striker, and other witnesses for a private hearing, scheduled for next Monday. The player is under investigation due to suspicions of having forced the application of a yellow card in a match against Santos, in the 2023 Brazilian Championship, favoring bettors.
This investigation was initiated after evidence was received from the Federal Police. The STJD is close to completing the report on the case and will soon decide whether to file a complaint or close the case. Without the request for preventive removal, Bruno Henrique remains eligible to defend Flamengo.
Among the witnesses interviewed, Bruno Henrique’s brother, Wander Nunes Pinto Júnior, stands out. The Federal Police found messages exchanged between the athlete and other suspects on seized cell phones. In one of these conversations, Wander asked his brother when he would receive the third yellow card. Bruno Henrique replied: “Against Santos.”
Therefore, Bruno Henrique is liable under Article 200 of the General Sports Law for defrauding or contributing to the manipulation of the results of sports competitions. This conduct carries a sentence of two to six years in prison. He is also liable for fraud, a crime with a sentence of between one and five years in prison.
Other defendants in the investigation
In addition to Bruno Henrique, the lawsuit includes Wander Nunes Pinto Júnior, the Flamengo athlete’s brother, as well as Ludymilla Araújo Lima, Wander’s wife, and Poliana Ester Nunes Cardoso, the player’s cousin. All of them allegedly participated in the bets related to the case.
In addition, the investigation highlights a second group of gamblers. This group includes Claudinei Vitor Mosquete Bassan, Rafaela Cristina Elias Bassan, Henrique Mosquete do Nascimento, Andryl Sales Nascimento dos Reis, Max Evangelista Amorim and Douglas Ribeiro Pina Barcelos.
According to the investigation, all of them are friends with Wander, which reinforces their ties to the scheme. Thus, the investigation points to the direct participation of these names in the case under investigation.
Therefore, the player may still become a defendant in the Common Court. The Federal Police carried out the indictment in April, and the investigation guides the Public Ministry of the Federal District on the possibility of filing a complaint against the athlete.
Bruno Henrique’s defense, from Flamengo, requests archiving of investigation
Bruno Henrique’s defense has filed a request to close the police investigation into the Flamengo striker. The lawyers dispute the adequacy of the conduct attributed to the player with the actions described in the lawsuit.
The red-black athlete allegedly forced a yellow card during a match against Santos, in the 2023 Brasileirão. Consequently, this action would have benefited bettors involved in the case.
The request was filed on Tuesday afternoon (20) at the 7th criminal court of the Federal District. The request was then forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will still analyze and comment on the case.
In the arguments presented, the defense claims that there was no fraud and that the player’s actions were not intended to alter the outcome of the match. In addition, the lawyers highlight the conclusions of the Senate’s Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on Game Manipulation and Sports Betting.
“It is necessary to highlight that the criminal type of article 200 of the General Sports Law does not apply to the hypothetical situation of an athlete who deliberately receives a yellow card due to a sports strategy”, states an excerpt from the document presented by the defense.
