Police recommend charges against Corinthians president over suspended Vaidebet deal
São Paulo's Civil Police have gathered enough evidence to recommend formal charges against Corinthians president Augusto Melo and several former directors in connection with the now-suspended deal with betting company Vaidebet.
Signed in January 2024, the sponsorship was record-breaking for Brazilian football—worth R$370 million (€69.4 million). However, within just six months, the contract was suspended following suspicions of financial misconduct. Investigators now believe the deal may have involved a money laundering scheme.
According to information from Gazeta Esportiva, charges are expected to be filed by early May against Melo, along with former officials Sérgio Moura, Marcelo Mariano, and Yun Ki Lee. The investigation, ongoing for nearly a year, uncovered evidence suggesting club revenues were funneled through a third-party company that played no real role in the sponsorship.
A key figure in the scheme appears to be Rede Social Media Design Ltda, officially listed as the intermediary in the deal and linked to businessman Alex Cassundé. However, the company’s listed partner, Edna Oliveira dos Santos, told reporters she lives in poverty and has no connection to Cassundé or the business, raising major red flags for investigators.
In March 2024, Corinthians transferred R$700,000 to this firm and another company. Police believe these payments were part of a coordinated effort to divert funds from the club under false pretenses.
A report by police chief Tiago Fernando Correia, of the Department for the Protection of Citizenship (DPPC), states there is sufficient evidence to indict the involved parties for criminal association and money laundering. Vaidebet terminated the contract in June 2024 by invoking an anti-corruption clause, triggering the current legal proceedings.
The investigation is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.
