Federal Police identifies 'parallel payroll' of R$ 48.5 million to all TCE-MT councillors
Federal Police have identified hidden payments totalling R$ 48.5 million to all seven councillors of the TCE-MT between January and October 2025, in Operation Tomada de Contas.
Operation Tomada de Contas: Federal Police detect R$ 48.5 million in hidden payments to TCE-MT councillors
The Federal Police have identified a "parallel payroll" of payments destined for all seven councillors of the TCE-MT (Court of Accounts of the State of Mato Grosso), according to www1.folha.uol.com.br. Between January and October 2025, the court members collectively received R$ 48.5 million from tribunal accounts — a figure that contrasts with the R$ 2.2 million recorded in the Transparency Portal during the same period.
The operation was carried out last Thursday (29th), as part of the inquiry that resulted in the arrest of the tribunal's president, Sérgio Ricardo de Almeida, during Operation Tomada de Contas. According to the Federal Police, the transfers occurred through individual bank orders and via the tribunal's supplier payment channel.
Individual amounts: president received R$ 15.4 million in ten months
The investigators detail the distribution of values. Sérgio Ricardo, the arrested president, received R$ 15.4 million from the TCE during this period. Councillor Guilherme Maluf obtained R$ 10.6 million, and José Carlos Novelli, R$ 8.9 million. Alisson de Carvalho Alencar, who at the time of the investigation held the position of accounts prosecutor, received R$ 8.1 million.
Maluf, Novelli and Alencar were suspended from their duties by order of Justice Minister Og Fernandes, of the STJ (Superior Court of Justice), who was responsible for authorising the operation by the Federal Police.
Sérgio Ricardo's defence contests preventive detention
Sérgio Ricardo's defence argues that the preventive detention is "unlawful, as it is not supported by concrete elements that demonstrate the necessity of deprivation of liberty". Lawyers Valber Melo and Saulo Gahyva emphasise, in a statement, that "the Federal Public Ministry itself has expressly opposed the arrest, considering it unnecessary, which reinforces the defence's questioning of the legality of the measure". The defence adds that "the relevance of the position held does not justify, in itself, the arrest" and that "the investigation of the facts must observe due process of law and the presumption of innocence, without anticipation of punishment".
The defences for Maluf and Novelli were not reached by the press.
In a statement released on Thursday, the TCE-MT informed that it "will adopt all necessary measures to comply with the determinations of the courts" and stressed the continuity of work and regularity of institutional activities. The body's communications office, consulted at 18:20 on Saturday (31st), did not comment.
Three councillors without precautionary measures, but in "borderline" situation
Besides the arrested president and the three suspended, the other three members of the tribunal who remain in office also appear on the parallel payroll, but were not subject to precautionary measures. The Federal Police classify the situation of these members as "borderline" and point out that further investigation is necessary, given the "order of magnitude of the amounts moved, and not necessarily the absence of irregularities".
The investigators intend to gather more evidence "even if in a less invasive manner or with less restriction of rights". The Federal Public Ministry, for its part, has already requested the breaking of banking secrecy for the three.
According to the investigation, Waldir Teis — who assumed the tribunal's presidency after Sérgio Ricardo's arrest — received R$ 1.5 million during the period. Gonçalo Domingos de Campos Neto received R$ 3.1 million, and Antônio Joaquim Moraes Rodrigues Neto, R$ 2.3 million. Teis and Antônio Joaquim were previously suspended in 2017, during Operation Ararath, but that investigation was archived.
Parliamentary amendments and anonymous tip at the origin of the case
Thursday's operation was initiated on the basis of an anonymous tip indicating that TCE suppliers only received their payments in return for refunding part of the amounts to the president's group.
The inquiry also indicates that the tribunal received parliamentary amendments from the Mato Grosso Assembly registered as from "party leaders", without a defined author — data gathered by the Federal Police from the state's Transparency Portal. In 2025, these transfers totalled R$ 50 million, of which R$ 39.1 million were allocated to the "indemnities" line item — the same category used in the payments under suspicion. In 2026, the transfers amount to R$ 62.4 million, with R$ 33.1 million allocated for this purpose.
Companies contracted by the tribunal and cited in the investigation, including advertising agencies and an outsourced company, received the bulk of the money from these amendments. The Federal Police state that the manner in which amendments enter the body's budget still needs to be explored further, and do not attribute irregularity to any specific deputy.
Six arrested and 26 search warrants executed
On Thursday, six preventive arrest warrants and 26 search and seizure warrants were executed, along with measures to lift confidentiality restrictions and seizures of assets. The Federal Police point out that the facts under investigation may constitute crimes against public administration, money laundering and criminal organisation.
Source: Google News BR — São Paulo