An influencer in Brazil has been sentenced to 14 years and six months in prison, with charges including the facilitation of an illegal lottery.
SBC Noticias has reported that Dilson Alves da Silva Neto, known with his alias Nego Di, was convicted on a number of serious offences, such as embezzlement, falsifying documents, money laundering, and the promotion of illegal lottery raffles.
Prosecution provided evidence of Nego Di being an instrumental figure in the promotion of at least 34 illegal virtual raffles between November 2022 and May 2024.
Using his social media channels to spread the illicit scheme, the influencer allegedly contributed to more than R$2.5m (£365,000) generated from the raffles.
The embezzlement charges against Nego Di suggest that he had used high-value assets to promote the raffles, with him showcasing a Porsche Macan as a supposed prize in one example.
In addition, the influencer allegedly falsified documents to hide the source of funds going through his accounts, masking some as a R$1m donation to a crisis victim charity.
Lastly, he was also convicted of money laundering, with the court being presented with evidence of luxury purchases intended to legalise the illicit funds.
His wife, Gabriele Vicente de Sousa, also stood trial as an accomplice, charged with eight years and four months.