Three Braiscompany defendants receive a combined 170-year prison sentence
Date: 2025-04-21 Author: Henry Casey Categories: IN WORLD
The Brazilian judicial system has completed its consideration of a high-profile cryptocurrency fraud case involving the company Braiscompany. Three people who played key roles in this scheme have been sentenced to a total of 170 years in prison. According to the investigation, more than 20,000 people fell victim to the fraud, and the total financial damage exceeded R$1.11 billion (approximately $200 million).
The organizers attracted investors by promising them an income of up to 8% per month from investments in digital assets - a promise that is far from the realities of the crypto market. The scheme was largely promoted on social media, where Braiscompany founder Antonio Inacio Da Silva Neto flaunted his lavish lifestyle. He regularly posted photos of himself with expensive cars, private jets, luxury resorts, and celebrities, creating the illusion of a successful and profitable business.
The court found that three defendants — Joel Ferreira de Souza, Gessana Rayane Silva, and Victor Augusto Veronez de Souza — played important roles in maintaining the scheme and concealing its criminal nature. Joel Ferreira de Souza received the longest sentence — 128 years and 5 months. Gessana Rayane Silva was sentenced to 27 years and 10 months, and Victor Augusto Veronez de Souza to 15 years. Their activities included moving large amounts of cash, using fake digital wallets, and recruiting third parties to launder funds through cryptocurrency.
The story of the founder's capture deserves special attention. In March last year, after a lengthy investigation, a joint operation between Interpol and Argentine law enforcement led to the arrest of Antonio Inacio Da Silva Neto and his wife Farias Campos. They had been hiding in Argentina since early 2023, using fake documents and false names. After their arrest, the couple was extradited back to Brazil and handed over to local authorities.
This case became one of the most high-profile in the history of cryptocurrency fraud in the country and demonstrated the willingness of Brazilian law enforcement to suppress financial crimes even at the international level.
