By Melody Gross 
DN discovered that Benfica SAD, as well as Rui Costa, Domingos Soares Oliveira, Luis Felipe Vieira, José Eduardo Muñiz and Nuno Gayoso Ribeiro, all directors or former directors from the Benfica community, were named defendants this week. But they are unaware of what exactly this process is about, which, by all indications, will be a formality relating to statutes of limitations, not least because no one will be subjected to any questioning.
At stake is supposed to be an operation in which crimes arising from hacked emails to Benfica are investigated and where other operations, such as vouchers and Mala Ciao, are joined. The goal seems to be specifically to avoid potential prescriptions, as many of these investigations have been going on for several years, some starting in 2012.
As far as DN is aware, some officials went to the PJ, in Lisbon, this week, but were not questioned or informed of specific facts. SAD was constituted as a defendant, but the targeted leaders were only confronted with general information, in what appeared to be an essentially formal procedure, to comply with the schedule, i.e. as a result of the formation of SAD as a defendant with a view to cause. not prescribed.
DN knows that Benfica SAD and its representatives are unaware of what exactly this process is about, as all requests for clarification they have made have been denied by the Public Prosecution Service, citing confidentiality of justice. This was an operation under investigation in Lisbon and had been moved, by order of the President, to Porto. Something the Eagles only recently knew about.
Benfica’s SAD lawyer, Rui Patricio, João Medeiros and Paulo Sarajuca da Mata, were notified of the process close to Christmas, but due to the festive season the steps were pushed back for a few days, which is why just this week he moved to PJ. DN has contacted Clube da Luz representatives and they have declined to comment on the process.
Operations are at a critical stage
This decision, from the constitution of Arguida Benfista, coincides with the return of the first league, after a long break due to hosting the World Cup in Qatar, and at a time when Benfica is leading the championship. Also with the final phase of the trial in the emails case – the Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged Port Communications Director Francisco J. Marquez, Porto Channel Director Julio Magalhaes, and commentator Diogo Faria, with breach of correspondence and unjustified access, for disclosing the contents of Benfica’s emails.
The verdict in the E-toupeira case, in which Benfica SAD was acquitted, by order of the court, of any liability, which included former legal advisor Paulo Gonçalves and two court officials, who allegedly provided information on inquiries in exchange for club tickets and invitations, will also be read soon. and promotion.
Also during January, the final allegations of Operation Football Leaks, involving Roy Pinto – On Wednesday, the Public Prosecution Service (MP) requested that the hacker be sentenced to prison terms, for 89 of the 90 offenses he committed against him. The defendants accused in the process, from unwarranted access to correspondence violation, including illegal access and computer sabotage. However, closing arguments were suspended yesterday at the request of Aníbal Pinto’s attorney.
The decision of the investigation phase of the Saku Azul case, which began in 2017 and has been successively postponed by the Public Prosecution Service (MP), will also be issued soon. The latest deputy deadline refers to a decision still during January, in a case in which Benfica’s SAD lawyers have already asked to archive the process involving defendants Domingos Soares Oliveira and Luis Felipe Vieira as legal representatives. of melancholy
In the case of Blue Sack, which allegedly provides services to third parties, i.e. football referees, as reported by DN in September last year, Benfica SAD lawyers argue that PJ’s report gives a “good account” that “despite a painstaking effort, a thorough and long investigation According to the facts, nothing has been found nor attributed to anything more than (alleged) tax fraud.”