Former Florianópolis Official Arrested for Accepting Bribe

A former city employee in Florianópolis was arrested on Monday for accepting a bribe, according to the Santa Catarina Civil Police. The operation, dubbed ‘Mão Grande II,’ followed an investigation launched in 2023 into suspected illegal approvals for construction projects in the city. The arrest took place during a search warrant executed at the former employee’s residence. The ex-official, who retired on July 31, allegedly received the bribe while no longer working for the city. The investigation suggests he continued to operate after retirement. Police tracked the money exchange in a public park, where they apprehended the suspect and confiscated the bribe. Further investigation revealed that the former employee possessed an illegal firearm. Additional weapons were seized from his residence. As a result of these findings, the suspect was taken to the headquarters of the State Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DEIC) and charged with bribery and illegal possession of firearms. In addition to the weapons, authorities confiscated documents, R$11,300 in Brazilian currency, over 4,000 US dollars, and other South American currencies. The investigation is ongoing. The municipality of Florianópolis stated that they were unaware of the incident and have recently changed employee passwords to monitor possible irregularities.