Um vídeo inédito, revelado nesta quarta-feira, 30 de julho de 2025, com exclusividade pelo Lance!, mostra o então presidente afastado do Corinthians, Augusto Pereira de Melo, tentando se desvencilhar das acusações que o colocam no centro do escândalo do patrocínio da casa de apostas Vai de Bet. Durante mais de três horas de depoimento à Polícia Civil de São Paulo, Melo alterna hesitações, rompantes emocionais e frases que podem pesar contra ele no processo judicial — entre elas, uma confissão direta: “Nada se faz no futebol sem intermediário.” A fala, proferida no depoimento do dia 16 de abril de 2025, contrasta com o discurso público que Augusto sustentava até então — o de que teria fechado o maior contrato da história do Corinthians sem atravessadores.

But the investigation points in the opposite direction: the supposed "biggest sponsorship in Brazilian football", worth R$ 360 million, for three years, concealed a scheme with a front company, chain transfers, and money diverted from the club. The statement was made at the headquarters of the 3rd Fraudulent Financial Police Station, in the presence of delegate Tiago Fernando Correia and prosecutor Juliano Carvalho Atoji, from GAECO (Special Group for the Fight against Organized Crime).

When questioned about the company Rede Social Media Design, which received R$ 1.4 million as a supposed intermediary of the contract between Corinthians and Vai de Bet, Augusto Melo replies: "I didn't even worry about the intermediary. I was euphoric." He tries to justify that his only concern was "closing the amount" — the gross amount of R$ 360 million, according to him, would have been his focus. But at another moment, at 1h22min18s, the former president admits: "Until proven otherwise, he [Alex Cassundé] is the intermediary." Alex Fernando André, Cassundé, is pointed out as the owner of the company that received the amounts considered fraudulent by the Public Ministry.

Alex Cassundé, is pointed out as the owner of the company that received the amounts considered fraudulent by the Public Ministry.

Rubens Gomes, Rubão, former football director and one of Melo's main backers, is mentioned with regret: "Rubão was my best friend in the campaign." But shortly after, the tone changes: "He's making all this fuss because he wants to be the next president."

The contract with Vai de Bet, signed in January 2024, was presented as the biggest sponsorship in the history of Brazilian football. However, according to a complaint accepted by the São Paulo Court, part of the amount was diverted through the simulation of a false intermediation. The company Rede Social, controlled by Alex Cassundé, would have received R$ 1.4 million, with a provision to pocket up to R$ 25.2 million over the contract. Judge Márcia Mayumi Okoda Oshiro, from the 2nd Court of Tax Crimes and Money Laundering, wrote that the diverted amounts circulated between front companies, before being used to pay campaign debts and generate illicit enrichment of Melo's political group.

The defense of Melo argues that the case should be investigated by the Federal Police, due to the presence of a foreign company in the contract (BETPIX N.V., based in Curaçao). They also argue that there was an illegal breach of financial secrecy and that Melo "voluntarily handed over" his data. The lawyers argue that the former president did not receive illicit amounts and that he is being targeted by "selective leaks", motivated by internal political disputes in Corinthians. But the judge rejected the defense's requests, and the process continues, based on reports from the Public Ministry, fiscal documents, statements, and banking and telephone secrecy breaches.