Clube Atlético Juventus, a traditional club in the eastern zone of São Paulo, is at the center of a police investigation involving multimillion-dollar embezzlement, marital infidelity, and armed threats.
The Civil Police, through its Internal Affairs division, is investigating whether large sums that recently entered the club’s coffers were pocketed by its top executives, according to a report by ge.
The main targets of the investigation are said to be Tadeu Deradeli, the club’s president, and Carlos Eduardo Gomes Pedroso, president of the Deliberative Council and a police clerk.
See ge’s reporting on the case below.
The trigger for the investigation was a whistleblower account by lawyer Guilherme Rodrigues, who took part in the club’s financial negotiations alongside his then-wife, fellow lawyer Luma Zaffarani.
Guilherme handed police spreadsheets and bank records detailing how the money was divided.
The alleged embezzlement took place on two main fronts:
Sale of the SAF: Of the R$ 20 million the club was to receive, R$ 2 million would be paid as “legal fees” to the lawyer couple. That amount would be split into three equal parts: one for Carlos Eduardo, one for Tadeu Deradeli, and the last for the couple.
Contract with Maple Bear: In the lease of an area of the club to the bilingual school, the company advanced R$ 500,000. According to the complaint, most of that amount was divided among Tadeu, Carlos Eduardo, Luma, and Guilherme.
Infidelity and the End of the Partnership
The allegations came to light after Guilherme discovered, through neighbors and security cameras, that he was being cheated on by his wife, Luma. The lawyer’s alleged lover was allegedly Carlos Eduardo himself, the president of the Council.
Witnesses reported that the pair of lovers were plotting to cut Guilherme out of the deals. After the discovery, the end of the marriage was turbulent, involving accusations of assault and protective orders. As of May 2026, Guilherme says he stopped receiving a share of the funds.
Parking Contract and Threats
Another point under investigation involves the lease of the club’s parking lot to the company Retaguarda Assessoria Empresarial, signed without a bidding process.
The company was created only two months before the agreement and belongs to the wife of one of Carlos Eduardo’s superiors in the police force.
The club’s revenue from the space fell from an average of R$ 85,000 to R$ 40,000 per month.
Council member Eduardo Pinto Ferreira, who began questioning the contract, says he received a suspicious PIX transfer of R$ 17,000 from the company, followed by messages from Carlos Eduardo in an alleged bribery attempt.
In addition, members report that Carlos Eduardo used his position in the police to intimidate opponents, including displaying weapons at meetings. More than 20 council members have been suspended or expelled arbitrarily since last year.
What Those Involved Say
Tadeu Deradeli (President): He denies the embezzlement accusations, but confirms receiving R$ 224,000 passed on by Guilherme, describing it as “reimbursement for a financial investment.”
Carlos Eduardo (Council President): He declined to give interviews.
Luma Zaffarani: She denies the affair and says she never passed on any money to the club’s presidents, accusing her ex-husband of spreading false information because of the difficult breakup.
Clube Atlético Juventus (Official Statement): The club said it does not comment on matters under seal and stressed that the “private matters” of its employees or directors should not be confused with the club’s institutional management.
Featured photo: Reproduction/Instagram
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.