Casa própria: como construtoras fraudaram famílias com dinheiro da Caixa
For many, the dream of homeownership is the cornerstone of financial stability and a future for their children. However, for several families in Rio Grande do Sul, that dream has been replaced by a cycle of mounting debt and abandoned construction sites. Investigations into the mechanics of casa própria: como construtoras fraudaram famílias com dinheiro da Caixa have revealed a sophisticated scheme involving falsified progress reports, forged signatures, and the alleged collusion of a bank employee to siphon funds intended for housing construction.
In the city of Gravataí, Marcela Bohnenberger Telles and her husband, Izael Mendes, stand before a site that should have been their family home. Instead, the property is a landscape of weeds, mud, and rising dampness. The couple has reportedly paid between R$ 400,000 and R$ 500,000 toward the construction, yet the building remains a skeleton of its intended design. Their four-year-old daughter, born a year after the project began in 2021, has never lived in the house that was meant to be her sanctuary.
The fraud relied on a specific financing model used by Caixa Econômica Federal, where funds are released in installments based on the reported progress of the work. According to documentation provided by the construction firm Âmbar-Prumo, the house was more than 84% complete. However, an independent technical assessment conducted by an engineer revealed a staggering discrepancy: the actual progress had not even reached the 40% mark.
The mechanics of the Âmbar-Prumo deception
The deception was not merely a matter of optimistic estimates; it involved active forgery. Forensic experts, including graphoscopy specialist João Henrique Seibel Rodriguez, identified clear signs of fraudulent signatures on the measurement reports sent to the bank. To justify the release of funds for work that had never been performed, the owner of Âmbar-Prumo, Bruno Barbosa da Silva, allegedly submitted spreadsheets containing photographs of entirely different residences to masquerade as progress on the victims’ properties.
The impact of this scheme extends beyond Gravataí. In Canoas, families including Renata Gossling Fontes and Michel Lunkes Cezar report similar experiences. They claim they were lured by promises of seamless credit approval, with representatives suggesting that the construction firm had a “complete package” that included an integrated partnership with the bank, making the complex bureaucracy appear effortless.
The financial fallout for these families is severe. In many cases, after realizing the construction had been abandoned, victims were forced to take out additional high-interest loans from other institutions to cover their losses. In one instance, the estimated value required to actually liquidate and finish the property was nearly R$ 386,000, even though the funds for that work had already been disbursed.
Allegations of insider collusion and the Vitruviana case
The investigation has also uncovered allegations of a deeper level of corruption involving the construction firm Vitruviana. Guilherme Junior Martins Both, a merchant from Porto Alegre, reported that he was approached by Pedro André Marchese Sessegolo, who allegedly presented himself as both the owner of the construction company and a bank employee at the Caixa branch in Alvorada.
According to the victims, Sessegolo used his purported position at the bank to promise an “easier path” through the financing process, directing clients specifically to the agency where he worked. When the construction of Guilherme’s home was abandoned only seven months after it began, a review of the spreadsheets submitted to the bank revealed massive inconsistencies: documents claimed that walls and panels were 100% complete, while in reality, no such work had been performed.
Following formal complaints to the bank’s ombudsman, Caixa initiated an administrative process that resulted in the dismissal of Sessegolo for cause last year. Internal documents reportedly showed email exchanges in which he requested colleagues at the agency to expedite the release of installments designated for the construction company in which he held a partnership.
| Construction Company | Primary Allegations | Key Locations Involved |
|---|---|---|
| Âmbar-Prumo | Falsified progress reports, forged signatures, and use of third-party property photos. | Gravataí and Canoas |
| Vitruviana | Alleged collusion with a bank employee to facilitate fraudulent credit releases. | Porto Alegre and Alvorada |
Institutional responses and legal defenses
The accused parties have denied wrongdoing. The defense for Bruno Barbosa da Silva, owner of Âmbar-Prumo, maintains that all works were conducted in strict observance of the procedures established by Caixa Econômica Federal. The defense emphasized that the bank is responsible for the inspection and approval of the measurements that trigger the release of funds, noting that the money was transferred directly to the clients’ accounts.
Pedro André Marchese Sessegolo is currently contesting his dismissal in the Labor Court. His defense argues that the situation is a “coordinated attempt” by defaulting clients to transform a legitimate commercial dispute into an administrative scandal, denying that any financial harm was caused to the bank.
Caixa Econômica Federal has addressed the issue by stating that, under this specific financing modality, the client is responsible for the financial administration of their own construction project. A national housing superintendent, Raul Gomes, stated that the bank does not exercise direct control or inspection in this model, characterizing the situation as a dispute between the client and the contractor. However, the bank confirmed it is rigorously investigating any reports of employee misconduct.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.
The legal battles for the affected families continue as they seek to recover their investments and hold the responsible parties accountable. The outcome of the pending labor court cases and the results of any further internal bank audits will be critical in determining how such systemic vulnerabilities in the housing finance model are addressed in the future.
If you have information regarding similar construction irregularities or have been affected by these schemes, please contact our newsroom to share your story.
