Key defendant in a fraudulent scheme involving the Security House of the President of Angola allegedly transferred money to Portugal through the Irmãos Chaves group companies
Major Pedro Lussati, the main defendant in a fraudulent scheme to search for the Angolan President’s Security Houseallegedly transferred money to Portugal through companies of the Irmãos Chaves group, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The Madeira business group, which operates in Portugal and Angola in areas such as construction, real estate, health, agriculture and ‘rent-a-car’, appears referenced in the process through the company Talatona, in which Pedro Lussati is a partner in vet-car with José António Figueira Chaves, one of the four Chaves brothers.
According to the order of accusations, Lussati’s money circulated through several companies such as Insulcar and others combined with the Irmãos Chaves group and it was among these that, allegedly, he transferred sums to Portugal.
The document refers to several bank deposits in accounts of the company Prime Talatona, and says that the money transfer scheme abroad had the participation of José António Figueira Chaves.
According to the indictment, there were several cash deposits in his bank account, at Banco Caixa Angola, from May 22, 2018 to May 1, 2021, through Prime Talatona, in Angola, and Insulcar-Rent-a-Car and Irmãos Chaves. in Portugal.
Edson Rosário, Denise Santos, Dorivaldo Santiago and Ketzia Limas were recognized as women who took money from Angola, in Portugal, transferred it to bank accounts held by Pedro Lu and his, Marisa Manuel António.
Speaking to Lussati Fernando Chaves, brother of businessman José António Figueira Chaves, confirmed that Lussati is a partner in Talatona, but rejects having been Prime committed in any way.
“We were dragged to one that dates from 2013 because my brother is a partner at Lussati”, said Fernando Chaves, explaining that Prime Talatona was created at that time with the aim of building residential buildings and that the cash movements are related to sales of apartments.
Lussati started when the major bought an apartment in a condominium and, later, became a partner, at a time when Angolan imposed this obligation on those who wanted to invest in the country.
Stressing that the keys are not accused in the process and are not confirmed, confirmed that all documents were proposed to the Angolan Attorney General’s Office (P) , bank account statements and purchase contracts and,, and regrets that the Madeiran group is to be in an address that “tarnishes the image” of Madeira’s entrepreneurs in Mexico.
“At the time, things were done like this, it was banal. In business, who were involved the military, the generals. In 2013, Lussati had no process. Did you know he was into less clear business? No, there was no way of knowing, we would not interrogate him to find out where to get the money”, declared Fernando Chaves.
The same official confirmed that two transfers had been made – which “had nothing to do with Prime” – through group companies to Lussati accounts, in Portugal, explaining that the Angolan major identified a business opportunity to acquire a house and they were made “to facilitate” the Lussati partner’s access to Portugal funds, because “he had no chance of making these transfers”.
About these transfers, of approximately 8,000 and 600 thousand euros, he added that clarifications had already been made, about a month ago, to the Portuguese PGR, who wanted to know the origin of the money.
Fernando Chaves involves the company that the case is about but the money laundering scheme.
Asked about the partnership with Pedro Lussati, he said that he remains while the process takes place in court and regrets the choice of the “wrong partner”, who is now in the grip of Angolan justice and who is experiencing “a dramatic period”.
“Pedro Lussati was a bad choice, today you can say that, but at the time it wasn’t. We have a clear conscience, calm, let’s wait. This is their problem, they dragged us through this and we’re going to try to get out without them, we don’t have these messes”, reinforced Fernando Chaves.
The mega-process involves 49 defendants and about 200 deponents who will testify about Caranguejo, a scheme that involved fraudulently using the public payroll of the Security House, through the operation that will be diverted from the treasury 62 million dollars (59 million euros) .
The start of the process is scheduled for Tuesday and will take place at the Talatona Convention Center, depending on the number of non-interventors, including defendants, deponents, experts and witnesses.
Among the defendants are the officers of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) and those accused of embezzlement, criminals, receiving profit from an advantage, economic in business, abuse of power, fraud in the transport or transfer of currency abroad, illicit introduction of currency, currency trading, counterfeit currency country, false identity document, currency forgery, money laundering and assumption.
Angolan Major Pedro Lussati, considered the leader of the group, was arrested in possession of millions of dollars, euros and kwanzas stored in suitcases and crates, also comprising more than a dozen vehicles.
The long list of witnesses, who will be heard in July and August, include the names of Manuel Vieira Dias “Kopelipa” and Higino Carneiro, among other top FAA generals.
Following these arrests, several officers linked to the Security House of the Angolan President were dismissed, including General Pedro Sebastião, the then Minister of State and Head of Security House of João Lourenço, who was replaced in office by General Francisco Pereira Furtado.