RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – In a bizarre turn of events a woman in Rio de Janeiro was caught on camera wheeling a deceased man into a bank on Tuesday in an attempt to get him to co-sign a loan. The shocking incident was captured by TV Globo, Brazil’s leading broadcaster.
The woman, identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes, can be seen in the footage standing next to the lifeless body of what she claims is her “uncle.” She addresses him, urging him to sign financial documents that would allow her to secure a loan worth $3,400. She even places a pen between his limp fingers and tells him to grip it tightly.
Bank staff became suspicious and alerted the police, who promptly arrived at the scene and arrested Nunes. It was later discovered that the deceased man, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga, had been dead for several hours before the incident.
Law enforcement officials are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Braga’s death and looking into whether Nunes is indeed his niece. They are also looking to determine if other family members were involved in the alleged attempt to commit bank fraud.
Nunes may face charges of theft through fraud, embezzlement, and abuse of a corpse, according to the police.
The shocking incident has left many questioning the lengths people are willing to go to in order to secure funds. Authorities will continue their investigation to shed more light on the case and identify any other individuals involved in the potential fraud.