The Civil Police of Mato Grosso, a Brazilian state, have imposed precautionary measures on the mother of the mayor of Nossa Senhora do Livramento following allegations that she carried out financial scams to fund online gambling activity.
The scheme included bets placed on unregulated slot-style games operated through offshore platforms.
The game Fortune Tiger (‘Jogo do Tigrinho’ in Brazil), characterized by fast-paced animations and instant payouts, was part of the scheme.
The game has been repeatedly seen by Brazilian authorities in problem gambling cases, influencer fraud investigations and consumer protection concerns.
According to investigators, the woman is suspected of defrauding victims by falsely claiming to manage companies contracted by the local municipality.
Police say the scheme resulted in losses exceeding BR913,000, with at least eight victims formally registering complaints so far.
Authorities allege the suspect used the name of her own son, the sitting mayor, to give credibility to the investment proposals, despite no evidence that the claimed municipal contracts existed.
Police investigations indicate the alleged fraud began in late 2024 and intensified as the suspect accumulated gambling-related debts.
According to case files, funds obtained from victims and private lenders were partially redirected to online gambling platforms.
When repayments became unsustainable, the scheme reportedly collapsed toward the end of 2025. Investigations remain ongoing and authorities continue to identify additional potential victims.
As part of the court decision, authorities imposed multiple precautionary measures, including electronic ankle monitoring, seizure of assets up to BR1m, suspension of international travel, a ban on registering with online betting platforms and restrictions on contacting victims. Her preventive detention remains under consideration.
Brazilian police recently accused another suspect of laundering $22m through betting platforms as part of a large-scale fraud scheme
