In the same statement, the PGJ harshly criticized the conduct of the judge of the 12th Criminal Court of Recife, who has repeatedly disregarded previous decisions by the Public Prosecutor's Office and acted in violation of the accusatory system.
In a document signed by Deputy Attorney General Norma Mendonça Galvão de Carvalho, the judge's actions were described as "teratological, unfounded, and reckless," for insisting on reopening a matter already exhaustively reviewed and decided by the ministerial body. "The judge's stance seriously compromises legal certainty and reveals an unacceptable attempt to criminalize an activity legalized by federal law," the Attorney General's Office stated.
The statement emphasizes that Esportes da Sorte is legally regulated by Laws No. 14,790/2023 and 13,756/2018 to operate fixed-odds betting, and that there is no prior crime justifying money laundering investigations. Even so, the judge decided, for the third time, to ignore the MPPE's decision to dismiss the case and proceed with precautionary measures without legal basis.
In addition to questioning the merits of the court decisions, the Public Prosecutor's Office also denounced the judge's failure to act on matters pending since March 2025, such as the technical analysis of the investigated individuals' banking data, which has not even been determined. The Prosecutor's Office pointed out that, instead of properly advancing the investigation, the judge was directing her actions to try to embarrass the Public Prosecutor's Office, a clear deviation from her role.
The Prosecutor's Office also questioned the legality of the funds frozen based on the alleged illegality of the betting, warning that the judge completely ignored the judge's acknowledgement of the legality of the activity, including by herself, albeit belatedly.
Given the gravity of the facts, the Prosecutor's Office ordered copies of the statement to be sent to the General Inspectorate of the Court of Justice of Pernambuco and to the competent court of the 4th Criminal Chamber, so that the judge's responsibilities can be investigated. The case was also ordered to be referred to the Public Prosecutor responsible for the case for appropriate action.
"Justice demands respect for legality, stability of decisions, and functional impartiality. The insistence on criminalizing lawful conduct, ignoring the Public Prosecutor's Office's orders, and omitting essential measures demonstrates a complete lack of commitment to these principles," the statement concluded.
Source: GMB
