Brazil's Federal Police carried out a new search and seizure operation at the São Paulo home of lawyer Nelson Wilians.
Wilians owns one of Brazil's largest corporate law firms and has 1.4 million social media followers. He was previously targeted by Federal Police last September over an alleged fraud and diversion scheme involving Brazil's social security institute.
The latest warrant, authorized by the Federal Court in Paraíba, is part of Operação Arena, investigating a business group from Brazil's Northeast suspected of using offshore corporate and financial structures to hide the origin and destination of funds from illegal gambling and online sports betting.
The investigation's main target is Paraíba-based company Pixbet. Investigators are also examining PixStar, a shell company based in Curaçao, after detecting payments between the two firms.
Wilians is suspected of acting as the group's financial operator, allegedly concealing assets obtained illegally by those under investigation.
In total, Paraíba's 4th Federal Court issued 17 search and seizure warrants, along with orders freezing banking and telecom data and authorizing seizure of up to BR1.1bn ($211,317) in assets across Paraíba, São Paulo, Sergipe, Rio de Janeiro and Paraná.
Federal Police said those under investigation could face charges including currency evasion, money laundering and other financial crimes.
This isn't Pixbet's first brush with Paraíba's courts in recent weeks. Less than a month ago, a Paraíba court ordered the operator to suspend all of its online gambling platforms nationwide, after finding its age verification measures inadequate to prevent minors from accessing its services.
Legal representation for those involved in the current operation has not publicly commented on the case so far
