Former PJ inspector Paulo Pereira Cristovao arrested for armed robbery.

[Miss Taken Identity]

It's very relevant to the case, considering he wrote a fictional version of Madeleine's disappearance which was published before the files were released to the public. Much of his story bears remarkable similarity to information contained within the secret files - an indication that someone from within the PJ had collaborated with him.

Which 'secret files' well not so secret now files are you referring to Misty?

[misty]

Which 'secret files' well not so secret now files are you referring to Misty?

The ones which were selected to be put online so they were no longer secret.

[misty]

Posted by portugalpress on June 25, 2015
Flamboyant former Sporting FC vice-president admits to being criminal mastermind

- See more at: http://portugalresident.com/flamboyant-former-sporting-fc-vice-president-admits-to-being-criminal-mastermind#sthash.NK2L7enz.dpuf


His arrest shocked the nation in March - not only for the crimes allegedly involved, but for the fact that Paulo Pereira Cristóvão was a media high-flyer.

A former PJ detective, he went on to be a popular television commentator, president of Portugal’s association of missing children and even vice-president of one of Portugal’s top football clubs.

Thus what would have impelled him to become a ‘spy’ for a criminal gang that posed as policemen to raid VIP homes in and around Lisbon, baffled all and sundry.

But ‘spy’ he appears to have been.

According to news reports this morning, it was Pereira Cristóvão’s admission to being the brains behind at least two of the robberies which led super-judge Carlos Alexandre to deciding to let him leave the country’s now infamous Évora jail on an electronic bracelet.

Unlike fellow inmate former Socialist prime minister José Sócrates - whose disdain for jailbird bling has led him to remain behind bars through the sweltering Alentejo heat - Cristóvão appears to have had no such qualms, and is already reported to be back home in Lisbon.

He is unlikely to be stuck for things to do under house arrest, as he is still involved in another case against him - alleging criminal activities during his time at Sporting.

Cristóvão’s unlikely career includes penning a book centred on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and being accused of torturing the mother of another missing Algarve child, in order to get a confession that she had been involved in the child’s death.

This latter event ended with Pereira Cristóvão and two other PJ colleagues being absolved.

The judicial ruling on the case was itself bizarre: “It is known that the agent of the crime (of torture) was an agent of the PJ but it has not been proved who practised the facts.”

Cristóvão was arrested over these latest allegations suspected of qualified robbery, kidnapping and criminal association. He spent three months in the cramped jail that has been the home of José Sócrates now for more than seven.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------His tongue has been loosened.

[Brietta]

Posted by portugalpress on June 25, 2015
Flamboyant former Sporting FC vice-president admits to being criminal mastermind

- See more at: http://portugalresident.com/flamboyant-former-sporting-fc-vice-president-admits-to-being-criminal-mastermind#sthash.NK2L7enz.dpuf


His arrest shocked the nation in March - not only for the crimes allegedly involved, but for the fact that Paulo Pereira Cristóvão was a media high-flyer.

A former PJ detective, he went on to be a popular television commentator, president of Portugal’s association of missing children and even vice-president of one of Portugal’s top football clubs.

Thus what would have impelled him to become a ‘spy’ for a criminal gang that posed as policemen to raid VIP homes in and around Lisbon, baffled all and sundry.

But ‘spy’ he appears to have been.

According to news reports this morning, it was Pereira Cristóvão’s admission to being the brains behind at least two of the robberies which led super-judge Carlos Alexandre to deciding to let him leave the country’s now infamous Évora jail on an electronic bracelet.

Unlike fellow inmate former Socialist prime minister José Sócrates - whose disdain for jailbird bling has led him to remain behind bars through the sweltering Alentejo heat - Cristóvão appears to have had no such qualms, and is already reported to be back home in Lisbon.

He is unlikely to be stuck for things to do under house arrest, as he is still involved in another case against him - alleging criminal activities during his time at Sporting.

Cristóvão’s unlikely career includes penning a book centred on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and being accused of torturing the mother of another missing Algarve child, in order to get a confession that she had been involved in the child’s death.

This latter event ended with Pereira Cristóvão and two other PJ colleagues being absolved.

The judicial ruling on the case was itself bizarre: “It is known that the agent of the crime (of torture) was an agent of the PJ but it has not been proved who practised the facts.”

Cristóvão was arrested over these latest allegations suspected of qualified robbery, kidnapping and criminal association. He spent three months in the cramped jail that has been the home of José Sócrates now for more than seven.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------His tongue has been loosened.

I'm not really sure I could ever grasp exactly what the Portuguese Justice System is all about.

Cristóvão has admitted to some very serious wrongdoing indeed ... and is allowed to leave jail with an electronic tag.

Bet all the victims of his crimes - are absolutely ecstatic about that.

[misty]

I'm not really sure I could ever grasp exactly what the Portuguese Justice System is all about.

Cristóvão has admitted to some very serious wrongdoing indeed ... and is allowed to leave jail with an electronic tag.

Bet all the victims of his crimes - are absolutely ecstatic about that.

I guess, unlike Socrates, he's safer outside prison than inside it - hence the admission of guilt. Perhaps he may even have a little sympathy & attack of conscience regarding Leonor.
There is also a report in the Portuguese press tonight that Godinho Lopes, the President of Sporting at the time of PPC's transgressions, has been kicked out of the club.

[LagosBen]

I'm not really sure I could ever grasp exactly what the Portuguese Justice System is all about.

Cristóvão has admitted to some very serious wrongdoing indeed ... and is allowed to leave jail with an electronic tag.

Bet all the victims of his crimes - are absolutely ecstatic about that.

Amazing isn't it?

[mercury]

Amazing isn't it?

Not really. Many countries have sentences in custody "reduced" for wont of the correct term. Oscar Pistorius blew his girlfriend's brains out but is out or shortly (after serving only a few months inside) going to be on a tag. Now "that" is outrageous.

[misty]

Paulo Pereira Cristóvão recusou falar na primeira sessão de julgamento, ao contrário da maior parte dos restantes arguidos do processo que julga associação criminosa, sequestro e roubos - entravam nas casas onde sabiam que havia dinheiro, simulavam ser uma busca domiciliária e em alguns casos apontaram armas de fogo às vítimas. Na passada sexta-feira, Pereira Cristóvão decidiu prestar declarações e assumiu, entre outros crimes, ter recebido 10 mil dos 80 mil euros levados de casa de um empresário de Cascais. No entanto, diz que se tratou de uma cobrança e não de um roubo. O julgamento começou em junho, em Lisboa, e tem 18 arguidos. Segundo o Ministério Público, os chefes do grupo eram o ex-vice presidente do Sporting, Mustafá, da Juve Leo, e ainda um traficante de droga chamado Celso ‘Kota’. O antigo dirigente leonino rejeita ter sido ser ele o mentor dos crimes - como foi dito por alguns dos arguidos, nomeadamente por Mustafá - e aponta o dedo a Celso ‘Kota’. Paulo Pereira Cristóvão refere no entanto que ficou com dez mil euros mas que pretende agora devolver o dinheiro desviado ao empresário. Relativamente ao assalto à casa de um homem ligado à Sociedade Lusa de Negócios, então detentora do BPN, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão segue pelo mesmo caminho e atribui a responsabilidades a Celso ‘Kota’. Neste caso, os assaltantes esperavam encontrar 3 a 4 milhões de euros e até levantaram o soalho da casa mas nada encontraram. Recorde-se que no processo estão ainda acusados dos mesmos crimes três agentes da PSP: Elói Fachada, Luís Conceição e Telma Freitas. Eram os operacionais do grupo. Entravam armados e fardados.

Ler mais em: http://www.cmjornal.pt/portugal/detalhe/ex-vice-presidente-do-sporting-confessa-crimes

Paulo Pereira Cristóvão refused to speak at the first court session, contrary to most of the other defendants in the process that considers criminal association, kidnapping and robbery - they entered the houses where they knew that there was money, they pretended to be a house search and in some cases they pointed weapons Of fire to the victims. Last Friday, Pereira Cristóvão decided to make statements and assumed, among other crimes, to have received 10 thousand of the 80 thousand euros taken from the home of a businessman from Cascais. However, it says that it was a charge and not a robbery. The trial began in June in Lisbon and has 18 defendants. According to the prosecution, the group's chiefs were former vice-president of Sporting, Mustafa, Juve Leo, and a drug dealer named Celso 'Kota'. The former leonine leader rejects being the mastermind of the crimes - as was said by some of the defendants, notably by Mustafa - and points the finger at Celso 'Kota'. Paulo Pereira Cristóvão, however, said that he had ten thousand euros but that he now intends to return the money diverted to the businessman. Regarding the assault on the house of a man linked to the Sociedade Lusa de Negócios, then owner of BPN, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão follows the same path and assigns responsibilities to Celso 'Kota'. In this case, the robbers expected to find 3 to 4 million euros and even raised the floor of the house but found nothing. It is recalled that in the process are also accused of the same crimes three agents of the PSP: Elói Fachada, Luís Conceição and Telma Freitas. They were the group's operatives. They entered armed and uniformed.

Read more at: http://www.cmjornal.pt/portugal/detalhe/ex-vice-presidente-do-sporting-confessa-crimes

[Brietta]

Paulo Pereira Cristóvão recusou falar na primeira sessão de julgamento, ao contrário da maior parte dos restantes arguidos do processo que julga associação criminosa, sequestro e roubos - entravam nas casas onde sabiam que havia dinheiro, simulavam ser uma busca domiciliária e em alguns casos apontaram armas de fogo às vítimas. Na passada sexta-feira, Pereira Cristóvão decidiu prestar declarações e assumiu, entre outros crimes, ter recebido 10 mil dos 80 mil euros levados de casa de um empresário de Cascais. No entanto, diz que se tratou de uma cobrança e não de um roubo. O julgamento começou em junho, em Lisboa, e tem 18 arguidos. Segundo o Ministério Público, os chefes do grupo eram o ex-vice presidente do Sporting, Mustafá, da Juve Leo, e ainda um traficante de droga chamado Celso ‘Kota’. O antigo dirigente leonino rejeita ter sido ser ele o mentor dos crimes - como foi dito por alguns dos arguidos, nomeadamente por Mustafá - e aponta o dedo a Celso ‘Kota’. Paulo Pereira Cristóvão refere no entanto que ficou com dez mil euros mas que pretende agora devolver o dinheiro desviado ao empresário. Relativamente ao assalto à casa de um homem ligado à Sociedade Lusa de Negócios, então detentora do BPN, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão segue pelo mesmo caminho e atribui a responsabilidades a Celso ‘Kota’. Neste caso, os assaltantes esperavam encontrar 3 a 4 milhões de euros e até levantaram o soalho da casa mas nada encontraram. Recorde-se que no processo estão ainda acusados dos mesmos crimes três agentes da PSP: Elói Fachada, Luís Conceição e Telma Freitas. Eram os operacionais do grupo. Entravam armados e fardados.

Ler mais em: http://www.cmjornal.pt/portugal/detalhe/ex-vice-presidente-do-sporting-confessa-crimes

Paulo Pereira Cristóvão refused to speak at the first court session, contrary to most of the other defendants in the process that considers criminal association, kidnapping and robbery - they entered the houses where they knew that there was money, they pretended to be a house search and in some cases they pointed weapons Of fire to the victims. Last Friday, Pereira Cristóvão decided to make statements and assumed, among other crimes, to have received 10 thousand of the 80 thousand euros taken from the home of a businessman from Cascais. However, it says that it was a charge and not a robbery. The trial began in June in Lisbon and has 18 defendants. According to the prosecution, the group's chiefs were former vice-president of Sporting, Mustafa, Juve Leo, and a drug dealer named Celso 'Kota'. The former leonine leader rejects being the mastermind of the crimes - as was said by some of the defendants, notably by Mustafa - and points the finger at Celso 'Kota'. Paulo Pereira Cristóvão, however, said that he had ten thousand euros but that he now intends to return the money diverted to the businessman. Regarding the assault on the house of a man linked to the Sociedade Lusa de Negócios, then owner of BPN, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão follows the same path and assigns responsibilities to Celso 'Kota'. In this case, the robbers expected to find 3 to 4 million euros and even raised the floor of the house but found nothing. It is recalled that in the process are also accused of the same crimes three agents of the PSP: Elói Fachada, Luís Conceição and Telma Freitas. They were the group's operatives. They entered armed and uniformed.

Read more at: http://www.cmjornal.pt/portugal/detalhe/ex-vice-presidente-do-sporting-confessa-crimes

Sorry reading for those who try to 'play down' the activities of criminal gangs in the Algarve ... this would appear to have been a particularly well informed one with current and past members of law enforcement playing active roles.

Well sourced, Misty.
There doesn't appear to be a great deal of information about it anywhere else.

[Alice Purjorick]

Sorry reading for those who try to 'play down' the activities of criminal gangs in the Algarve ... this would appear to have been a particularly well informed one with current and past members of law enforcement playing active roles.

Well sourced, Misty.
There doesn't appear to be a great deal of information about it anywhere else.

Very interesting.
How many confirmed kidnappings of children under five years of age were this gang responsible for ?

[ShiningInLuz]

Sorry reading for those who try to 'play down' the activities of criminal gangs in the Algarve ... this would appear to have been a particularly well informed one with current and past members of law enforcement playing active roles.

Well sourced, Misty.
There doesn't appear to be a great deal of information about it anywhere else.

You do realise that Cascais is near Lisbon?  Which is why they are being tried in Lisbon.  This is like saying criminal gangs in London means there are criminal gangs in John O'Groats or Land's End.

 

[Brietta]

Very interesting.
How many confirmed kidnappings of children under five years of age were this gang responsible for ?

Yes it is very interesting indeed.  Particularly when one takes into consideration that the author, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão has specialised in writing books about kidnapped and missing children.

Perhaps since Paulo Pereira Cristóvão stands as one of the accused in this case your question might be better directed to him, perhaps through an approach to his lawyer as he is more likely to be able to answer your question than any member of this forum could.

[Brietta]

You do realise that Cascais is near Lisbon?  Why is why they are being tried in Lisbon.  This is like saying criminal gangs in London means there are criminal gangs in John O'Groats or Land's End.

 

There are criminal gangs in every country in the world.

In the case of this particular criminal gang in Portugal ... a country which is popular with Brits ... the intriguing aspect is the active involvement of serving and retired law enforcement officers.

Had one not made a name for himself in other cases we would never have heard of the heinous crimes of which the gang stand accused.
He really should have known much better than to interfere in football ... that really does appear to have been a step too far.

[Alice Purjorick]

Yes it is very interesting indeed.  Particularly when one takes into consideration that the author, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão has specialised in writing books about kidnapped and missing children.

Perhaps since Paulo Pereira Cristóvão stands as one of the accused in this case your question might be better directed to him, perhaps through an approach to his lawyer as he is more likely to be able to answer your question than any member of this forum could.

I'll take it then that this gang operating nowhere near The Algarve did not nick any kids, as you can't come up with any cites.
I said "very interesting" in my earlier post on the basis I find it "very interesting" you persist with pieces such as this that have no practical link to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Why would anyone be surprised at criminal gangs operating along The Algarve ?. With a large itinerant population there are plenty of pickings, there's plenty of resident dosh floating around and one suspects opportunities for contraband. The surprise to anyone who has been round the block more than once would be the absence of criminal gangs with a finger in the pie in such a setting.

[Brietta]

I'll take it then that this gang operating nowhere near The Algarve did not nick any kids, as you can't come up with any cites.
I said "very interesting" in my earlier post on the basis I find it "very interesting" you persist with pieces such as this that have no practical link to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Why would anyone be surprised at criminal gangs operating along The Algarve ?. With a large itinerant population there are plenty of pickings, there's plenty of resident dosh floating around and one suspects opportunities for contraband. The surprise to anyone who has been round the block more than once would be the absence of criminal gangs with a finger in the pie in such a setting.

If you would care to take a quick look at the thread title you might notice that it refers to the exploits of Paulo Pereira Cristóvão.

The involvement of former senior and serving law enforcement officers in serious crime is in my opinion a lot more than "interesting" or "unsurprising".