The Communication and Digital Law Commission of Senate approved this Wednesday 9th a bill that increases by two thirds the penalty for crimes of embezzlement and fraud in commerce, when committed via the internet.
The PL is sent to the Constitution and Justice Commission for analysis, where it will be processed in a final manner. In other words, if there is no appeal for voting in plenary, the text will go to the Chamber of Deputies for consideration.
Authored by the senator Val landmarks (Podemos-ES), the project was reported by Zequinha Marinho (Podemos-PA), which voted in favor.
A survey carried out by the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook in 2023, mentioned by the rapporteur, points out that cases of virtual embezzlement increased by 65.2% between 2021 and 2022. The rate, however, could be higher, since six states, including Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, did not specify the crimes committed over the internet when reporting general fraud data.
“The research reflects a worrying growth trend in cybercrime in Brazil, with very serious effects on social order,” said Marinho. “The overload of health services due to the emotional and financial stress caused by fraud is a clear example of the losses that Brazilian society faces with the spread of crime in the digital environment.”
(With information from Agência Senado)
