MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil: STF issues unanimous ruling against Congresswoman Zambelli

Wednesday's decision can be appealed

The First Chamber of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) unanimously sentenced Congresswoman Carla Zambelli to 10 years in prison for hacking into the electronic system of the National Justice Council (CNJ) in 2023. The ruling was supported by Justices Alexandre De Moraes, Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, Luiz Fux, and Cármen Lúcia. The decision can be revised, Agencia Brasil explained.

If, after exhausting all appeals, the ruling still stands, Zambelli is to lose her mandate and pay R$ 2 million (US$ 356,630) in collective moral damages together with hacker Walter Delgatti, who is a confessed defendant and was sentenced to 8 years and 3 months in prison in the same case.

According to the Attorney General's Office (PGR), Zambelli was the mastermind behind the hack to issue a false arrest warrant against De Moraes. Sleuths said the hacking was carried out by Delgatti, who acknowledged having acted at the parliamentarian's behest.

In a press release after the start of the trial, Zambelli's defense contested the fact that a virtual trial was held to convict her and considered it “absolutely unfair” that the parliamentarian should be condemned “without irrefutable evidence.”

Zambelli faces another criminal case before the STF since August 2023 for pulling out a firearm and stalking journalist Luan Araújo on the eve of the 2022 runoff. Harassment began after Zambelli and Luan exchanged taunts during a political event in the Jardins neighborhood in São Paulo.

So far, the Supreme Court has voted 6-0 to convict her to 5 years and 3 months in prison on a semi-open regime. However, a request by Justice Nunes Marques for a reprieve postponed the conclusion of the proceedings.

(See also: Brazil's STF reaches majority to convict Congresswoman Zambelli)