A bizarre incident at a Rio de Janeiro bank involving a woman and a deceased man has led to a police investigation and nationwide debate
In a startling episode that unfolded at a Rio de Janeiro branch of Itau Bank, Brazilian police have detained a woman accused of trying to withdraw a loan with a dead man, purportedly her uncle, in tow. The incident, captured on the bank’s surveillance footage, has since ignited a widespread discussion across Brazil.
The footage, now viral on social media, shows the woman at the bank counter, attempting to manoeuvre the man’s hand to sign a loan document. Despite her efforts to prop up his head and position a pen in his hand, the man, seated in a wheelchair, remains unresponsive throughout the encounter.
The woman is heard pleading with the unresponsive elderly man in the video, urging him to sign the document to avoid further bureaucratic hassles. “Uncle, are you listening? You need to sign. If you don’t sign, there’s no way. I can’t sign for you, it has to be you. What I can do, I do,” she insists.
Bank attendants, growing suspicious of the man’s condition, suggested he appeared unwell, prompting a call to paramedics. Upon their arrival, it was determined that the man had been deceased for several hours, likely before even entering the bank premises.
The incident has raised numerous questions regarding the woman’s motives and the nature of her relationship with the deceased. While initial reports from the police suggest a case of attempted fraud, the family’s lawyer has contested these claims, arguing that the man was alive upon arrival at the bank and that the woman is currently under significant emotional distress.
As the investigation continues, authorities have yet to charge the woman, but the case remains under close scrutiny by both law enforcement and the public. The bank has refrained from commenting on the ongoing legal proceedings but confirmed their cooperation with the police.
This unusual case has not only prompted a legal inquiry but also sparked a broader conversation about the lengths to which individuals might go in desperate financial situations, highlighting issues of security and vulnerability in banking practices
