By Camilo Diniz
Brazil's Superior Court of Justice (STJ) has ordered the arrest of Sandra Inês Rusciolelli, an appeals court judge (desembargadora) of the Bahia State Court of Justice, and of her son, Vasco Rusciolelli. The order was issued by STJ Minister Og Fernandes last Thursday, after the court received information that the judge had left Brazil on September 21 for Lisbon, Portugal. The request came from the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF). In the minister's view, leaving the national territory indicates an attempt to escape the sentence already imposed on her.
Background: the sentence and the case behind it
The arrest order is based on a conviction to 14 years and 20 days in prison, in a closed regime at the initial stage, for passive corruption (receiving bribes) and money laundering. The case grew out of Operation Faroeste, which investigated fraud in Bahia's justice system. According to the investigation, the structure involved selling court rulings to favor land grabbing (grilagem) in western Bahia, and businessmen, lawyers and judges allegedly took part in the scheme.
An address dispute and alleged bribes
The MPF says a detail reinforced its suspicions. In August, Sandra and her son notified the court of a new address in the case file. When a court officer went to carry out a visit in October, they were not found there. According to the prosecutors, the two had given the court an address that did not match reality.
A Federal Police (PF) report states that Vasco would have received at least R$ 250,000 (Brazilian reais) so that his mother would issue a ruling favorable to a company. The MPF argues that the two negotiated alleged bribes totaling R$ 4 million (Brazilian reais), of which R$ 2.4 million (Brazilian reais) were allegedly actually received.
Plea deals, their cancellation and the defense
The case has a long timeline. In February 2021, the STJ removed eight appeals court judges from the Bahia State Court of Justice. Sandra was placed under house arrest, and Vasco was also subject to measures. Both signed plea-bargain agreements (delação premiada). Sandra's agreement was approved by Og Fernandes in June 2021. It was described as the first such collaboration signed by an appeals court judge in Brazil, and it named 68 people: 12 appeals court judges, 12 judges and 15 lawyers. Vasco, who was his mother's lawyer, also cooperated.
In October 2021, with the agreements approved, the minister revoked the preventive detention of both. He imposed electronic ankle monitors, a ban on entering the Bahia State Court of Justice and a ban on contact with other suspects. In November 2024, Og Fernandes cancelled the agreements at the MPF's request, which cited noncompliance such as missed hearings and unpaid fines.
At the most recent hearing, the defense was handled by federal public defender José Carvalho do Nascimento. He argued that he did not have full access to part of the evidence gathered by the MPF and the Federal Police, which, according to the Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU), made it harder to prepare the defense of mother and son.
With the order issued, the next step is locating the two. The source material does not say where the convicted pair are, nor whether the defense has commented on the trip. The case raises an uncomfortable question: if the judge has indeed left the country, it remains to be seen how, and whether, international cooperation will be used to bring her back.
VDD Analysis
When a judge convicted of passive corruption and money laundering manages to leave the country, citizens' trust in the judiciary is the first to pay the price. A serious justice system needs clear rules, served sentences and effective oversight, especially for those whose duty is to judge. If what the STJ pointed to is confirmed, the episode shows that impunity erodes the rule of law, and the defense of liberty depends on a clean judiciary that is equal for everyone.
