- Emil Pinheiro
Emil Pacheco Pinheiro (1923 —
Rio de Janeiro ,July 16 ,2001 ) was an illegal lottery operator in the very popularJogo do Bicho (the “animal game”) and the president of Botafogo soccer club.Bicheiro
A war veteran he acquired his first Jogo do Bicho bank in
Barra da Tijuca in 1959 and subsequently became one of the major bicheiros ofRio de Janeiro withCastor de Andrade ,Carlinhos Maracanã ,Raul Capitão and others.pt icon [http://veja.abril.com.br/250701/datas.html Obituary] , Veja, July 25, 2001] He also controlled the game inJacarepaguá .pt icon [http://www.passeiweb.com/saiba_mais/voce_sabia/narcotrafico_rj Violência e narcotráfico no Rio de Janeiro] , by Ricardo Veléz Rodrigues]Pinheiro was found guilty by judge
Denise Frossard in 1993 of involvement in theJogo do Bicho , along with 13 other bicho bankers such asCastor de Andrade ,Luizinho Drummond ,Capitão Guimarães andAnísio Abraão David . They were found responsible for at least 53 deaths. They were sentenced to six years each, the maximum sentence for racketeering.pt icon [http://oglobo.globo.com/rio/mat/2007/04/13/295347828.asp Contraventores já foram condenados há 14 anos] , O Globo online, April 13, 2007] pt icon [http://clipping.planejamento.gov.br/Noticias.asp?NOTCod=349902 Bicheiros expandem “negócios”] , Correio Braziliense, April 22, 2007] But in December 1996 they were all back on the streets, granted parole or clemency.occer benefactor
In 1988 he became the patron of the Botafogo soccer club. The following two years, in 1989 and 1990, Botafogo won the Rio de Janeiro Championship after 21 years without titles, thanks to investments of Pinheiro. He became president of the club in 1991 but left after Botafogo lost the Brazilian Championship from Flamengo in 1992 among rumours of bribes.
Pinheiro died on
July 16 ,2001 . He suffered fromParkinson disease and could not move anymore. [pt icon [http://jbonline.terra.com.br/extra/2001/07/16/e1607106.html Luto no Botafogo pela morte de Emil Pinheiro] , JB Online, July 16, 2001] .References
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