Brazil's Federal police conducted search warrants against the governor of Tocantins state as part of an investigation into fraud and graft related to COVID-19 funds. The operation also targeted 41 other individuals in the state. According to a police statement, suppliers of pandemic-related services allegedly failed to fulfill their contracts with the state, despite receiving full payment.
The governor, who is under investigation, is linked to companies that provided social assistance services with food kits between 2020 and 2021. The probe is focused on examining the transactions and activities of these companies during the specified period.
Tocantins, situated in northern Brazil and encompassing a portion of the Amazon rainforest, has been at the center of this investigation. Governor Wanderlei Barbosa, who assumed office in 2022 after serving as vice governor from 2019 to 2022, is at the center of the allegations.
Barbosa has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to uncover any potential wrongdoing and hold those involved accountable for any fraudulent activities related to the handling of COVID-19 funds in the state.
