What started as the collection of a debt contracted with a moneylender in Caxias do Sul ended in torture, threats, and recordings used to intimidate not only the victim but also other debtors who failed to repay their loans. Following an investigation and a complaint from the Public Ministry of Rio Grande do Sul (MPRS), three men were convicted of extortion and torture. The events occurred on May 15, 2025, when the victim was kidnapped and taken to a secluded location during a moneylending-related collection.
The prosecutor who filed the complaint, Vanessa da Silva, noted that the victim was subjected to physical and psychological abuse to force the payment of the debt. In last week's ruling, the defendant accused of being the mastermind of the action was sentenced to 13 years and 3 months in prison; the person responsible for the assaults received a sentence of 16 years and 8 months; and the third defendant, who participated in the approach, transportation of the victim, and recorded the assaults, was sentenced to 12 years. All sentences will initially be served in a closed facility. The court also ordered a minimum compensation of R$ 50,000 for the victim, to be paid by the three convicted individuals.
According to the prosecutor, the decision represents a firm response from institutions and reinforces the role of the state in combating this type of violence, with both punitive and preventive effects. "The extortion and torture crimes were committed with the intention of collecting the victim's debts from a moneylender, and the acts of violence were recorded to serve as threats to other debtors who did not pay their debts. The conviction demonstrates the speed and efficiency of security bodies, the Public Ministry, and the judiciary, in addition to fulfilling the function of the sentence, which is to repress and prevent similar crime practices," said Vanessa da Silva.