As the new Attorney General took office this week, judicial police have announced yet another corruption probe – this time into suspicions of “reiterated and continued perversion of the proceedings of public contracts” by leading members of Turismo do Porto e do Norte de Portugal (TPNP), to the tune of “several million euros”.
The highest profile arrest today has been of the public entity’s president and former PSD MP, Melchior Moreira.
Searches of various properties, both domiciliary and non-domiciliary, took place early this morning, and saw four others also detained – two holding positions within TPNP and two described as ‘businessmen’.
A statement by the PJ says the investigation “centers on the activity of a public collective that, through the concerted action of leading executives, has conducted a generalised scheme of fraudulent vitiation of insolvency proceedings and direct adjustment with the aim of favouring groups of companies, hiring human resources and using public means with a view to satisfying interests of a particular nature”.
It’s a convoluted way of suggesting economic participation in business and the trafficking of influences – both of which are likely to appear on eventual charge sheets.
For now, the operation – named Éter (Ether) – will see all five “presented for judicial interrogation”.
Reporting on this morning’s events, Rádio Renascença wrote that Melchior Moreira has been “under the eyes of judicial authorities for some time”.
In June he went on holiday to the Algarve “at the cost of his alleged corruptors” said the station, citing Diário de Notícias. He “did not pay anything” for the trip. RR continues: “The PJ started investigating the case – namely the existence of kick-backs for illicit acts…”
Under scrutiny are contracts awarded without recourse to public tenders, “frauds and the diversion of subsidies for touristic projects” writes the station.
Among venues searched by a total of 50 PJ inspectors – including IT, financial and accountancy investigators – were the premises of football clubs Sporting de Braga and Vitoria de Guimarães as well as Viseu town hall.
Areas of the country covered by this investigation span Porto, Gaia, Matosinhos, Lamego, Viseu and Viana do Castelo.
Meantime, Melchior Moreira has told State news agency Lusa that his conscience is “tranquil” and that he will “give all the information and help necessary to clear the situation up and defend the good name” of both himself and TPNP.
UPDATE:
Papers on Friday morning gave the names of all those arrested on Thursday and more details of the alleged crimes.
The people detained and going up before magistrates this morning are Manuela Couto, wife of the mayor of Santo Tirso Joaquim Couto, and director of W Global Communication – a company that emerged from the former Mediana communications firm established in the 90s; Isabel Castro, operational director of TPNP, Gabriela Escobar, a legal adviser at TPNP, and Viseu businessman João Agostinho, writes Correio da Manhã.
Agostinho runs a business that installed software in TPNP’s interactive outlets and created interactive panels for the public entity.
The alleged crimes all relate to contacts for publicity, image, marketing and for the purchase and installation of technological equipment in TPNP interactive shops, explains the paper – suggesting illegalities went ahead for three years.
“The scheme was simple”, CM continues. “Public contracts were rigged with winning bids coming in with prices way above the average, and in many cases, contracts were signed for the purchase of goods and services that never came through.
It’s possible that more people will be arrested, says the paper.
