Brazilian Bookmaker Pixbet Investigated Over Transfers Using Tax IDs of 549 Deceased People

Brazilian police are investigating a suspected money-laundering and illegal cross-border transfer scheme linked to betting company Pixbet, InfoMoney reports.

According to investigators, the transactions involved CPF numbers — Brazil’s individual taxpayer identification numbers.

The case concerns 549 CPF numbers belonging to deceased people, some of whom died more than 20 years ago. Investigators believe the identities were used to disguise illegal foreign-exchange transactions as legitimate ones.

Authorities suspect that money generated from betting operations in Brazil was transferred through financial intermediaries to a company registered in Curaçao. Part of the funds was then allegedly sent back to Brazil as payments for services that were never actually provided.

After Brazil’s financial intelligence unit, Coaf, flagged the suspicious transactions, the names associated with the same CPF numbers were changed, while the taxpayer identification numbers themselves remained unchanged.

The investigation covers suspected illegal foreign-exchange transactions and transfers of funds abroad, money laundering and other offences against Brazil’s financial system.

Pixbet is one of Brazil’s largest betting operators and has previously sponsored football clubs Flamengo and Corinthians. In August, Brazil’s Ministry of Finance suspended the company’s operations in the federal regulated market over separate regulatory breaches. Industry media have also reported that Pixbet’s owners are considering a possible sale of the business.