Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes, the Brazilian woman arrested for attempting to take out a loan in her deceased uncle’s name by wheeling his body into a bank, has shared her side of the story for the first time since her release from prison.
In an emotional interview with the Brazilian media, Nunes expressed her anguish over being separated from her family and vehemently denied any prior knowledge of her uncle’s death. Tearfully, she stated, “It’s absurd what people are saying. I’m not that person people are talking about, I’m not that monster.”
Nunes also revealed that she had been taking medication, including a sleeping pill called Zolpidem, which may have affected her judgment on the day of the incident. She claimed that her uncle instructed her to hold his head up as they entered the bank.
Security footage from a Rio de Janeiro bank captured Nunes pushing her deceased uncle, Paulo Roberto Braga, into the branch while attempting to use his identity for a loan. Despite concerns raised by bank workers about Braga’s condition, Nunes insisted that he was fine and even urged him to sign documents.
The suspicious behavior of Nunes and the lifeless state of Braga prompted bank staff to contact the police, resulting in Nunes’s immediate arrest on fraud charges. Medical professionals later confirmed that Braga had passed away before being brought to the bank.
Civil Police Chief Fabio Souza highlighted Nunes’s actions in a report, stating that she had attempted to deceive bank staff by holding her uncle’s head up to simulate signs of life. Nunes was subsequently released on bail but continues to deny the charges against her, including manslaughter and attempted theft through fraud. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with no trial date scheduled yet.
