Hugo Motta, president of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies and member of the Republicanos party from Paraíba, faces allegations of employing ghost employees and relatives of such employees in his congressional office. Gabriela Batista Pagidis, a physiotherapist and parliamentary secretary in Motta's office for eight years, reportedly received R$807,500 in salary despite working at two physiotherapy clinics in Brasília. In 2024 alone, salaries paid to ghost employees, including a medical student and a social worker with incompatible routines, totaled R$112,000. Motta also employed four relatives of Pagidis—her mother, sister, aunt, and cousin—in his office. Additionally, Ivanadja Velloso Meira Lima, a parliamentary secretary under Motta, is facing a federal administrative misconduct lawsuit related to operating a ghost employee scheme. The Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) has requested the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) to investigate these allegations of ghost employees and administrative improprieties. Motta has stated that he values strict adherence to employee duties but has remained silent on the employment of relatives and the ghost employee accusations.