Sao Paulo, Brazil – A woman took an elderly man's body to a bank in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday in an attempt to obtain a R$17,000 (US$3,400) loan, local Brazilian media reported.
Suspicious bank employees filmed the incident and reported it to police. The woman was reportedly taken into custody, and the bizarre video soon went viral on social media.
The story was first reported by TV Globo, Brazil's largest news broadcaster, which shared a blurred version of the video.
In the painting, a woman named Érika de Souza Vieira Nunes stands next to a pale old man sitting in a chair. She is apparently holding the man's head and talking to him, demanding he sign her loan documents.
Nunes reportedly introduced himself as the old man's nephew. “Uncle, are you listening? You must sign. [the loan contract]. There is no way unless you sign. Because I can’t sign for you,” Nunes said in the video.
One bank employee said, “The person was not feeling well, so the color of his skin… “He said.
“He is that kind of person. “He doesn’t say anything.” Nunes answered. “Uncle, do you want to go to the hospital again?”
Employees soon called the police, who later confirmed that the man, Paulo Roberto Braga, 68, had been dead for several hours.
“She tried to pretend to get him to sign the loan. “He went into the bank already dead.” Police Chief Fabio Luis told TV Globo. “The most important thing is to continue our investigation to identify other family members and learn more about this loan.”
Police said they would investigate the circumstances of the elderly man's death, including whether the woman was actually his niece and whether anyone else was involved in the fraud attempt. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, Nunes could be charged with theft by fraud or embezzlement. The elderly man's body was seized by authorities for investigation.
Within a few hours, the Portuguese word for corpse, “cadáver”, became the most popular topic on BrazilX (formerly Twitter).