Death of a lawyer in the center of Rio was a ‘message’ of a misdemeanor against new entrepreneurs in the betting market | Rio de Janeiro

Rodrigo Marinho Crespo was executed in the center of Rio. Photo: Reproduction/Linkedin

The death of lawyer Rodrigo Marinho Crespo in February, in the center of Rio de Janeiro, was a “warning” of the offense against anyone wanting to explore the online sports betting market. The information is contained in a complaint filed by the Rio Public Prosecutor’s Office against three men involved in the crime, which was accepted by the courts.

“From what has been learned so far, the motivation for Rodrigo Crespo’s execution was not a ‘file burning’, but rather a very violent and bold ‘warning’ against anyone and everyone who, even within the law, wants to analyze the feasibility of exploring games of chance. It is no coincidence that Rodrigo was killed close to the OAB, when he had left his office for a snack, in broad daylight, in front of several witnesses”, states the MP.

According to the complaint, There is still no way to nail a principal for crime. The offender Adilson Oliveira Coutinho Filho, known as Adilsinho, was the target of a search and seizure operation at the beginning of April for his alleged involvement in the homicide.

“Although there is evidently a lack of proof of the person or persons who are in charge, in the execution or even of the actual action of other potential participants, the actions of a powerful and violent criminal organization specialized in the exploitation of games of chance and illicit resale appear to be duly outlined. of cigarettes, whose origins are in the municipality of Duque de Caxias, but the sordid tentacles have already spread throughout Rio de Janeiro, acting unrestrainedly, finally fatally affecting a lawyer with no criminal ties to any criminal organization”, prosecutors add.

Online gambling used for money laundering

Witnesses reported to the Civil Police that Rodrigo Crespo was preparing to leave the law firm where he worked to start acting legally in the online betting sites market. The MP even reports that he canceled a trip abroad the day before he was murdered. According to researchers, this is a market dominated by organized crime.

“There is information, still capable of being confirmed, that criminals/mafiosos exploiting gambling games (called in Rio de Janeiro only as ‘contraventores’) would be deepening their knowledge to profitably exploit online betting games in the process of legalization. This is a current ‘fever’ in Brazil, and can even be used to launder money from criminal activities. Rodrigo Crespo (victim) did not deny that he intended to make money, and a lot of it, with the legalization/regulation of the exploitation of online gambling games, and was looking for financiers for his ambitious venture”, says an excerpt from the MP’s complaint.