Politics · Brazil · 3 hrs ago
Brazil court sentences Bahia judge to nearly 15 years in Faroeste case
Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice sentenced Bahia judge Maria do Socorro Barreto Santiago to 14 years and 11 months in prison for passive corruption and money laundering, and ordered her removal from office.
The court also sentenced businessman Adailton Maturino dos Santos and his wife, as well as a retired judge and a lawyer.
Two lawyers and singer Amanda Santiago, the judge’s daughter, were acquitted.
The case grew out of Operation Faroeste, which began in 2019 after a land dispute near the borders of Bahia, Piauí and Tocantins.
Investigators examined allegations that judicial decisions were sold to help secure land in western Bahia.
This is the first ruling on the merits in a criminal case arising from the operation, which also led to several judges being removed from their posts.
The judge’s lawyer says he will appeal, and a lawyer for one of the other convicted men also said he would appeal.
Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice sentenced Bahia judge Maria do Socorro Barreto Santiago to 14 years and 11 months in prison for passive corruption and money laundering.
The court’s special panel ruled unanimously on Wednesday and ordered Santiago to lose her public office.
Her lawyer said the defence was perplexed by the verdict and would appeal, arguing that the evidence did not prove corruption.
The court also sentenced three other defendants and acquitted two lawyers and singer Amanda Santiago, the judge’s daughter.
The case is the first criminal action from Operation Faroeste to receive a decision on its merits.
- Who
- The Superior Court of Justice sentenced Bahia judge Maria do Socorro Barreto Santiago.
- What
- She received a 14-year-and-11-month prison sentence for passive corruption and money laundering, and was ordered to lose her public office.
- When
- Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
- Where
- Brazil; the ruling was issued by the Superior Court of Justice and concerns a scheme linked to land in western Bahia.
- Why
- The court convicted Santiago of passive corruption and money laundering in a case arising from Operation Faroeste, which investigated the sale of judicial decisions to enable land grabbing.
Prosecutors
Santiago's defence
Evidence and allegations
Prosecutors
The court convicted Santiago of passive corruption and money laundering in the Operation Faroeste case.
Santiago's defence
Her lawyer said there was no reliable evidence of a corruption scheme and that a financial transaction between siblings had been treated as a bribe.
Sentence
Prosecutors
The court imposed 14 years and 11 months in prison and ordered Santiago to lose her public office.
Santiago's defence
Her lawyer said the defence would appeal the conviction.
The first phase of Operation Faroeste was launched, originating in a land dispute near the borders of Bahia, Piauí and Tocantins.
The Superior Court of Justice unanimously convicted Santiago and issued sentences for other defendants in the first merits ruling in a criminal action arising from the operation.
- Santiago's sentence
- 14 years and 11 months in prison
- Convicted offences
- Passive corruption and money laundering
- Court ruling
- Unanimous decision by the STJ Special Court
- Other sentences
- Adailton Maturino dos Santos: 21 years and seven months; Geciane Souza Maturino dos Santos: 16 years and four months
- Acquittals
- Lawyers Valdete Aparecida Stresser and Márcio Duarte Miranda, and singer Amanda Santiago
What people are saying
receive the conviction with perplexity
Amanda never committed any crime and should never have been accused.