São Paulo Prosecutors Charge Suspended Corinthians Chief in VaideBet Case

São Paulo state prosecutors on Thursday charged suspended Sport Club Corinthians Paulista president Augusto Melo, two former directors and three businessmen with criminal association, money-laundering and qualified theft. The indictment stems from the "VaideBet" investigation, which has examined suspected irregularities in the club’s record R$370 million, three-year master sponsorship deal with betting house VaideBet signed in January 2024. Prosecutors allege that R$1.4 million in commission related to the contract was funneled through shell companies and that part of the money financed Melo’s election campaign for the club presidency. The Ministério Público do Estado de São Paulo asked the court to order the defendants to pay at least R$40 million in damages to Corinthians and to freeze their assets while the case proceeds. A judge must now decide whether to accept the charges, which would move the group from indicted status to formal defendants.