In 2005, a spectacular bank robbery in Central Bank of Brazil netted the criminals over $70 million. When others began to target the money, many of the persons that the authorities suspected were involved met a dreadful fate.
‘Great Robbery of Brazil’s Central Bank,’ Netflix’s latest true-crime offering, digs into a case that made international headlines and is eternally remembered as one of the greatest heists ever.
Authorities suspected Luis Fernando Ribeiro, called Fernandinho, was one of the masterminds among the 34 persons identified as being involved in the robbery.
We’ve got you covered if you’re wondering what happened to him.
Must Read: Who Was The Mastermind In Brazil’s Central Bank Robbery? How Much Money Was Robbed?
How Did “Luis Fernando Ribeiro aka Fernandinho” Die?
Fernandinho was suspected of financing the August 2005 heist of the Central Bank in Fortaleza, Brazil. Several men built an underground tunnel from a residence to the bank vault at the time, snatching $70 million in a well-planned heist.
Fernandinho was thought to be one of the commanders, and he was accused of taking a major portion of the plunder. The 26-year-old fled Fortaleza for Sa Paulo, Brazil, after the heist and escaped authorities until a second violent crime happened.
Fernandinho was abducted outside a nightclub in Sa Paulo on October 7, 2005. The men pretended to be federal officers at the time and drove him away in a van. On October 9, Fernandinho’s body was discovered near Camanducaia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
On October 20, his body was identified after he was executed with around seven bullet wounds. He was shot in the buttcheeks and face, according to the show. Fernandinho’s wrists were likewise marked, indicating that he had been handcuffed.
Who Killed Fernandinho And How?
Marcio Marcio, a defence lawyer, received a call from Fernandinho’s distraught family a few hours after he was kidnapped. The kidnappers made a ransom demand, and Marcio was instructed to act as the go-between.
He met the kidnappers at a local gas station, communicated with Fernandinho via walkie-talkie, and paid the ransom of $890,000. The kidnappers, on the other hand, never followed through on their promise to set the victim free and unharmed.
When Fernandinho failed to return, his family went to the police and acknowledged that he was one of the masterminds behind the Central Bank robbery, putting up the initial funds and returning with a substantial portion of the cash.
Furthermore, officials discovered that Fernandinho was a member of the Brazilian mafia organisation Premeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), and that PCC was responsible for the bank robbery.
Fernandinho was a narcotics trafficker who had previously murdered others. PCC was also notorious for drug trafficking, kidnappings, and robberies. However, the inquiry indicated that Fernandinho’s kidnapping was most likely motivated by his claimed involvement in the heist and the theft of millions of dollars.
Official documents stated that “there are indications, not totally established, that the authors of the crime are police personnel or others related to them,” implying that corrupt cops were also implicated.
Two officers were eventually arrested for their alleged involvement. According to the episode, police informers and lawyers were also suspected of being involved.
Fernandinho’s storey was not unique, since three other people suspected of being involved in the bank robbery were slain and dumped in a well. Six kidnappings have occurred by April 2006, all of which were linked to the crime.
