New investigations by the Federal Police point out that Glaidson Acácio dos Santos, the “Pharaoh of Bitcoins”, had a “heavy” partner to expand his illicit business to the United States. According to the PF, an accomplice of Colombian drug trafficker Pablo Escobar helped Glaidson take the fraudulent scheme out of Brazil. Glaidson has been in jail since August 2021 for leading a billion-dollar scheme involving Bitcoin. He faces charges of crimes against the national financial system, criminal organization and money laundering.
Pablo Escobar’s partner in Glaidson’s scheme
Investigations indicate that Glaidson’s ally was one of the pilots transporting drugs from the Escobar cartel. He has already been convicted of international drug trafficking in Brazil. However, he would have managed to leave Brazil using a false passport. Then, back in the US, he structured the fraud scheme with digital assets by opening an office in the country. In addition, Escobar’s partner used false documents to justify “the profusion of deposits in the company’s accounts” and issued unsecured international invoices. After that, he would send the money to Glaidson in the form of stablecoins, digital currencies backed by the US dollar. Also, at the request of Fará dos Bitcoins, the pilot “was responsible for providing the necessary documentation for the stay of the leaders of the criminal organization in the American country”. In addition, he would have helped to “fulfill a number of personal desires” of Glaidson. Among other things, Glaidson ordered the pilot to purchase an aircraft with a capacity of about 20 people. The idea was to use air transport in the US. And indeed, the pilot even bought the plane in his daughter’s name.
Operation Flyer One
As reported by G1, the new information comes within the scope of Operation Flyer One – in reference to the first plane of the Wright brothers, aviation pioneers. The action was launched by the PF and the Federal Public Ministry this Thursday (11). This is the fourth phase of Operation Krypytos, which began in August of last year and culminated in Glaidson’s arrest. The task force that investigates financial crimes this morning fulfills five preventive arrest warrants and four search and seizure warrants. The target cities of the action are Rio de Janeiro and Cabo Frio, the latter being the headquarters of GAS Consultoria Bitcoin, a company through which Glaidson applied scams promising high monthly income with cryptocurrencies. The Brazilian authorities also demanded the inclusion of the targets of the action that are in the US in Interpol’s Red Diffusion. Among the targets is Escobar’s and Glaidson’s henchman. Agents have already seized 10 luxury cars valued at around R$6 million. According to the PF, those investigated may be held accountable for the crimes of illegal issuance of securities without prior registration. In addition, they may be liable for criminal organization and money laundering. If convicted, the sentence can reach 22 years in prison. Also read: Cardano has ‘aggressive pricing’, claims Messari report Also read: Ankr receives strategic investment from Binance Labs and token jumps 50%
