Brazilian woman arrested for allegedly trying to secure loan with dead man’s identity

BRAZIL: A woman in Brazil was apprehended on 16 April under startling circumstances, accused of attempting to secure a R$17,000 (US$3,250) loan using the identity of a deceased individual

The accused, identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes, allegedly brought the body of 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga to a bank branch in the Bangu neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, as reported by Brazilian media outlet O Globo.

Captured in a video circulating on social media, Vieira is seen engaging in a bizarre exchange with Braga, who appeared lifeless in a wheelchair.

 | LO ÚLTIMO: Una mujer llevó un cadáver a una sucursal bancaria en Bangu, en la zona oeste de Río de Janeiro, Brasil, para intentar retirar un préstamo de 17 mil reales. Érika de Souza Vieira Nunes, responsable de cuidar a su tío Paulo Roberto Braga, de 68 años, llevó al pic.twitter.com/c533ICZoyf

— STV (@SamborondonSTV) April 17, 2024

In the footage, she can be heard urging him to sign documents, even placing a pen between his fingers.

“Uncle, are you listening? You have to sign it. I can’t sign for you,” she says as she places a pen between his fingers.

The unsettling scene drew attention from bank staff, who promptly alerted authorities.

“I don’t think this is legal. He doesn’t look well. He’s very pale.”

Responding to concerns raised by bank employees, Vieira brushed off suspicions, claiming that Braga was uncommunicative by nature.

Nevertheless, the situation prompted immediate action, with both medical and law enforcement personnel summoned to the scene.

Following her arrest, Vieira asserted that Braga had passed away within the bank premises.

However, the Civil Police contradicted this account, citing evidence suggesting otherwise.

According to police chief Fabio Luiz, Braga had succumbed to death several hours prior to the incident, although the exact cause remained undisclosed.

The police stated, “she knew he was dead… he had been dead for at least two hours.”

As the investigation unfolds, authorities are scrutinizing surveillance footage to ascertain whether Vieira acted alone or had accomplices.

Additionally, questions persist regarding Vieira’s relationship to the deceased, with her claim of being Braga’s niece under scrutiny.

Offering a defense, Vieira’s legal representative, Ana Carla de Souza Correa, contested the allegations, asserting that Braga was alive upon arrival at the bank.

“The facts did not occur as has been narrated. Paulo was alive when he arrived at the bank,” she said.

Correa expressed confidence in Vieira’s innocence, citing witnesses who purportedly corroborated her account.

“We believe in Érika’s innocence.”

The investigation continues, with authorities endeavoring to uncover the truth surrounding the unusual incident.