Lisbon, Jan. 7, 2025 (Lusa) - Former Novo Banco director Carlos Brandão, who was dismissed with immediate effect on Tuesday, was made a defendant on suspicion of money laundering and forgery, a source linked to the case confirmed to Lusa following a note from the Attorney General's Office.
"As part of the inquiry led by the 4th Section of the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP), search procedures are being carried out to identify and seize documents and other evidence of interest to the discovery of the truth," announced the Attorney General's Office, in a note published on its official website.
At stake, it says, may be "facts that could constitute the commission of offences of qualified tax fraud, money laundering and forgery by a director of Novo Banco".
Novo Banco's Supervisory Board today approved the dismissal with just cause of Carlos Brandão from his position as a member of the Board of Directors and Risk Manager, with immediate effect, following suspicious financial operations, according to information to the market.
"This decision was taken following the identification, through the Bank's internal processes, of suspicious financial operations carried out in his personal sphere, which gave rise to a complaint to the authorities," reads the note sent to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM).
According to the Attorney General's Office's note, two defendants have been constituted, who are not identified.
A judicial source told Lusa that Carlos Brandão's wife is the second defendant.
Four house searches, one bank search, and seven non-house searches were conducted, with the participation of a public prosecutor, a judicial magistrate, and several members of the Judicial Police's National Anti-Corruption Unit (UNCC).
The case is being held in secret.
In its statement to the market, Novo Banco explained that the operations in question are not related to or involve the institution "in any way" and, therefore, "have no impact on customers, customer accounts or operations, the Bank's financial position or activity, its commercial operations, the risk management system or its employees".
After detecting the situation, the bank carried out an internal investigation and filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor's Office, which resulted in the opening of an ongoing investigation.
The institution also reported the matter to the banking regulator and the supervisory authority competent in this matter.
"All the measures necessary and appropriate to the situation were immediately adopted to protect the Bank and all its stakeholders, and the Bank acted in full coordination and cooperation with the competent authorities," according to the same note.
The Appointments Committee of the General and Supervisory Board has activated the succession plan for Carlos Brandão, and the decision will be announced as soon as the process is finalised.
The bank's executive chairman, Mark Bourke, will take over as interim chief risk officer.
Carlos Brandão joined Novo Banco as coordinating director of the Risk Department in July 2017 and, in August 2022, was appointed as an executive member of the Board of Directors.
He was also CEO of Bankinter in Portugal and held positions at Banco Santander and Barclays.
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