PF targets cities in Maranhão that overbilled with tooth extraction

Criminal group that would be entering supposedly manipulated data in public health systems was the target of an operation by the Federal Police this Thursday morning (2), in four municipalities in the interior of Maranhão. Quarries, Bacabal, Lago do Junco and Lago dos Rodrigues. Based on the information, the group was able to increase the ceiling for transfers of federal resources. According to the police, most of the irregularly received money would come from parliamentary amendments to the so-called secret budget, which was diverted through over-invoiced payments. According to the Federal Police, the Maranhão municipality of Pedreiras, for example, has only 39,000 inhabitants, but would have reported more than 540,000 tooth extractions. This means that, in 2021 alone, each resident would have extracted, on average, 14 teeth. The Comptroller General of the Union found that there was overbilling of more than R$ 500,000 in contracting services. One of the investigated companies, which allegedly used an “orange” partner, would be among those that received the most public health resources in the period 2019 and 2021, in the state of Maranhão. There were more than R$ 16 million in hiring, both for medium and high complexity actions and for primary care. In all, eleven search and seizure warrants were carried out, in addition to precautionary measures, such as the blocking of R$ 1.8 million and the suspension of the rights of entrepreneurs and companies to participate in bidding processes or contract with public bodies. The production contacted the city halls mentioned, but has not yet received a response. Listen on Radioagência:

Agência Brasil