São Paulo’s Civil Police have arrested three suspects in an investigation into alleged illegal online betting, financial fraud and money laundering.
In the investigation, authorities sought to freeze up to BR154m ($28.5m) in assets.
This comes as federal prosecutors have opened a probe into influencers promoting illegal sites.
The operation, named Disque 151, was launched by the Department of State Criminal Investigations (Deic), through its Third General Investigations Division.
Investigators began examining the platforms after complaints were submitted to Procon-SP, the state’s consumer protection agency.
Courts issued three temporary arrest warrants and six search and seizure warrants. They also authorised two measures to lift banking secrecy and two to access telecommunications data, allowing investigators to examine financial information and communications relevant to the case.
Police said roughly 10 million complaint records were considered during the period under investigation, and referred to more than 10 million bettors and victims associated with the platforms. The source did not clarify whether these figures represent distinct individuals or how the complaint records were distributed across the services.
Financial analysis identified BR38.5m in monitored bank transactions. Of that amount, investigators identified and traced BR14.05m, providing a clearer picture of part of the money flow.
Based on the evidence, courts authorised asset-freezing measures involving six individuals and five companies. The maximum value of the restrictions is estimated at BR154m, exceeding the volume of transactions traced by investigators. The measures aim to restrict access to funds that may be linked to the suspected offences.
The suspects have not been convicted, and the allegations remain under investigation
