A recording made during a lunch between inspectors from the São Paulo Treasury Secretary's office captures what the Public Ministry describes as an "ethics advice" on how to extort bribes without provoking a reaction from the person being charged. In the dialogue, André Weiss, who reached the leadership of São Paulo's tax administration, criticizes the posture of an inspector considered aggressive in collections and states that the shakedown needs to be "good for both sides." Otherwise, according to him, the taxpayer could report the scheme.
The audio was recorded in July 2023 by former tax auditor Artur Gomes da Silva Neto, who was imprisoned in the investigation into the scheme involving the company Ultrafarma. The recording was made by Artur, who apparently documented the conversation to capture the corrupt practices.
According to the filing presented by the São Paulo Public Ministry to the Court, among those at the table, in addition to others, were the then tax delegate Paulo Sérgio Siqueira Prado — who signed a plea agreement with the Public Ministry — as well as Weiss, Artur, Valmir Lucas Dornelles, Edgar Ishida, and Bruno Alves de Oliveira. Paulo Sérgio Siqueira Prado decided to cooperate with authorities after being identified among the lunch participants.
