STJ convicts retired Bahia appellate judge and three others in Operation Faroeste
Sandra Inês Rusciolelli was sentenced to 14 years and loss of office; according to federal prosecutors, the group worked to secure land for an agribusiness company in western Bahia.
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
The Special Court of Brazil's Superior Court of Justice (STJ) on Wednesday (4) unanimously convicted retired appellate judge Sandra Inês Moraes Rusciolelli Azevedo, of the Bahia State Court of Justice (TJ-BA), and three other defendants in another trial in Operation Faroeste, which investigates the sale of court rulings in land disputes in western Bahia, g1 reported.
The judge was sentenced to 14 years and 20 days in prison, as well as loss of office. Her son, lawyer Vasco Rusciolelli Azevedo, was sentenced to 13 years and 11 months, to begin in a closed regime. Lawyer Vanderlei Chilante and farmer Nelson José Vígolo, linked to Bom Jesus Agropecuária, received sentences of just over four years each. Informant Júlio César Cavalcanti Ferreira was granted a judicial pardon, as requested by the Federal Prosecutor's Office (MPF).
According to the prosecution, the group acted in lawsuits to secure ownership of rural properties for an agribusiness company, in exchange for about R$ 4 million, of which R$ 2.4 million was allegedly paid. The rapporteur, Justice Og Fernandes, said the evidence, such as conversations recorded on flash drives, financial reports and the plea agreement, shows that the undue payments were offered, received and concealed. In his view, the Constitution "does not allow jurisdiction to be turned into merchandise."
Sandra Inês's defense argued during the case that her rulings were lawful, that the family's assets are compatible with declared income and that the evidence is void. G1 said it was trying to reach the defense teams.
The judge had already been forcibly retired by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) in December 2024. In October, five other defendants in the operation, including former TJ-BA president Maria do Socorro Santiago, were convicted. Faroeste began in late 2019, and the illegally grabbed area is suspected to exceed 360,000 hectares.