Socialite from Rio who was missing speaks out for the first time after the case turns in court and details the driver’s behavior

Regina Lemos Gonçalves, an 88-year-old socialite from Copacabana who had been missing since the end of last year, returned to her apartment and finally spoke out about rumors that she had been the victim of a scam by her former driver. Back at the iconic Chopin Building, she received the printout this Friday (26), and gave her version of the facts. According to the woman, the man did not attack her at any time, but he stole jewelry and money from her safes.

Regina’s disappearance caught the attention of residents of the south zone of Rio, who were shocked by the news that the elderly woman was placed in private prison for months. However, in statements published by the newspaper O Globo, she stated that the driver did not actually hit her. “One day he shouted at me, it was horrible. He left me ‘at zero’. Thirty or so years of savings, I insisted on having one. He took jewelry and precious stones that my husband had brought to me from Europe, Alexandrite. He took it from my safe.”he declared.

“He didn’t dare hit. I’m from a family with a tradition from Minas Gerais that doesn’t admit it. He would never dare hit me. He pushed, dropped things on my head. From now on, with the grace of God, Divine Holy Spirit of Immaculate Conception, I will have a peaceful life at the end of my days.”described.

Twists in the case

Regina also commented on the decision of the Justice of the Rio de Janeiro, who made the former employee his legal guardian. “I was very saddened by the court’s decision. But God knows what he does”, he added. Yesterday (25), judge Valéria Dacheux, from the 6th Chamber of Private Law, granted guardianship to the driver, officially considered her husband. The report published by the blog Segredos do Crime, by columnist Vera Araújo, pointed out that the woman may be “susceptible to manipulation and the implementation of false memories”.

In a determination by substitute judge Claudia Leonor Jourdan Gomes Bobsin, from the 1st Court of Children, Youth and the Elderly, the person who had responsibility for Regina was her nephew Carlos Queiroz – son of Painna, the socialite’s sister. The situation changed after a report carried out by a private psychiatrist confirmed that the woman showed signs of dementia. “He quickly developed weakness compatible with advanced dementia”, says the text. Because of this, the driver was banned at the beginning of the year, in a second instance decision. The document also highlights that Regina must be accompanied by a caregiver chosen with the family’s approval, and that relatives will have their visits checked by the courts so that there are no accusations of false imprisonment.

However, in a new modification this afternoon (26), judge Antônio Carlos Amado, from the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Judiciary of the State of Rio de Janeiro (PJERJ), went back and decided that the driver must stay 250 meters away away from the elderly woman: “In view of the appellant’s request and the urgency due to the conflict of decisions, and in view of the validity of the protective measures granted by this judge, since 02/27/2024, including the removal from the partner’s home. Please inform the distinguished judge Valéria Dacheux, of the 6th Chamber of Private Law, for the appropriate measures”.

Driver speaks out

The disappearance of the resident of the luxurious Copacabana building was also commented on by businessman João Chamarelli, who said he represented Regina’s family. According to him, the driver became a kind of butler, a handyman. After gaining the woman’s trust, he dismissed the oldest employees, claiming that the house did not need such a large team. “Until she realized that there was no one left: just her and him. She remembers and reports the episodes, of small, medium and great evils”, claimed. Find out more details by clicking here.

The driver, however, stated that all the accusations against him are false, and that he intends to seek satisfaction in court. “It’s all a lie. They made the biggest setup with me. Everyone who said that about me will be prosecuted. I have evidence in my favor. My lawyers are chasing the outlets that reported fake news. This week everything will be revealed. João Chamarelli is a swindler, the biggest embezzler in Rio de Janeiro. He says his name is Chamarelli when it’s actually Anderson Nascimento. In fact, he already defaulted on Regina.”he told Metrópoles.