Bruno Henrique and the bets: what happens next? Line of time and next steps of the case

The controversy surrounding player Bruno Henrique’s involvement with betting reached its peak with the player’s indictment by the Federal Police (PF) in April 2025 for sports competition fraud and fraud.

The Flamengo star is accused of having deliberately forced a yellow card in a 2023 Brazilian Championship match against Santos to benefit bettors, including close family members.

The investigation into Bruno Henrique’s relationship with betting also involves the player’s brother, Wander Nunes Pinto Júnior, his sister-in-law Ludymilla Araújo Lima, and his cousin Poliana Ester Nunes Cardoso, indicating that the yellow card was premeditated to favor bets placed by these relatives and other involved parties.

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Bruno Henrique and betting: indictment by the Federal Police

The decision to indict Bruno Henrique was made on April 14, 2025, after an investigation that lasted months and involved the analysis of messages, financial transactions, and atypical behavior in betting houses.

According to the Federal Police (PF), the investigation gathered sufficient elements to consider that the player committed fraud by forcing the yellow card punishment, constituting a crime under Article 200 of the General Sports Law, with a penalty of two to six years in prison, in addition to a fine.

The brother and other involved parties were indicted for fraud, with penalties of one to five years.

The Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) investigated the case but closed the investigation in September 2024, considering the play to be ordinary, without significant sporting advantage, and that the profit from the bets would be minimal. However, the STJD requested access to the PF documents to reassess the case.

The incident and the Flamengo vs Santos match (November 1, 2023)

The match linking Bruno Henrique to betting took place at the Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasília, during the 31st round of the 2023 Brasileirão. At the time, Flamengo faced Santos and lost 2–1.

In stoppage time of the second half, at the 50th minute, Bruno Henrique committed a foul on Yeferson Soteldo, a Santos player who had the ball in attack. Following the incident, referee Rafael Rodrigo Klein gave the Flamengo striker a yellow card for “striking an opponent recklessly while contesting the ball,” as reported in the match summary.

Right after the yellow card, Bruno Henrique vehemently protested to the referee, which resulted in a second yellow card and, consequently, the player’s expulsion.

The referee reported having been insulted with foul language by the striker, who even tried to approach him after the expulsion, being restrained by his teammates.

After the expulsion, fans in the section behind Flamengo’s goal threw cups onto the pitch, hitting Bruno Henrique and defender Rodrigo Caio.

According to the Federal Police, the first yellow card received by Bruno Henrique in the match was his third in the competition, resulting in automatic suspension for the next match, a fact that was used for atypical betting activities.

Details of the investigation and evidence

The Federal Police investigation into Bruno Henrique’s relationship with betting began after alerts from international betting houses, which noticed an unusual and concentrated volume of bets on Bruno Henrique receiving a yellow card in the match against Santos.

These operators reported the facts to the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), which forwarded the reports to Brazilian authorities.

Based on these reports, the player’s and his brother’s cell phones were seized through search and seizure warrants executed in November 2024, when nearly 4,000 conversations were found, many of them deleted, suggesting an attempt to conceal evidence.

Among the messages, a conversation from August 29, 2023 stands out, in which Wander asks Bruno Henrique about the yellow cards he had already received and mentions the possibility of “taking the 3rd” in a certain game, to which the player replies that it would be against Santos, a match that was rescheduled for November 1.

One of the most compelling conversations supporting the connection between Bruno Henrique and betting was published by Metrópoles and the ESPN channel, showing the exchange of messages from August 29, 2023. Below is what was published by Metrópoles and ESPN.

Wander: “Uncle, do you have 2 yellows in the Brasileirão?”
Bruno Henrique: “Yes”
Wander: “When the guys tell you to take the 3rd, call us, huh kkkk”
Bruno Henrique: “Against Santos”
Wander: “How many weeks from now?”
Bruno Henrique: “Check Google”
Wander: “October 29”; “Do you think you’ll be able to go until then without a yellow kkkkkk”
Bruno Henrique: “I won’t complain”; “Only if I go hard on someone”…
Wander: “Good, I’ll save the money, successful investment”

It’s also worth noting that the suspicious bets were concentrated in Belo Horizonte, the player’s hometown, and involved the creation of new accounts and unusual amounts, which contributed to the betting houses’ alert.

The yellow card received by the player resulted in Bruno Henrique’s automatic suspension for the following matches, impacting Flamengo’s lineup in important games.

Repercussions of Bruno Henrique’s indictment

As expected, the investigation and indictment of the player caused a major stir in the sports and legal communities, with Flamengo issuing an official statement defending the presumption of innocence and the right to a defense, as well as reaffirming its commitment to sporting fair play.

The player himself spoke publicly for the first time after the indictment through a social media post, without text, only with a Bible passage.

.The STJD, in turn, has requested and is awaiting the sharing of evidence from the Federal Police to decide whether to reopen the investigation in the sports sphere.

What is the process after Bruno Henrique’s indictment?

The Federal Police report will be analyzed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Federal District (MP-DF), which may or may not file charges. If charges are filed, the court will decide whether Bruno Henrique becomes a defendant. If so, he will be tried by a randomly assigned first-instance judge, with the possibility of appeals to higher courts, including courts in Brasília.

What could happen to Bruno Henrique?

If convicted of having illicit relations with betting, Bruno Henrique could face consequences both criminally and in sports. In criminal terms, once indicted for sports fraud, the athlete could face two to six years in prison for fraud, in addition to a fine.

As he has no prior convictions, even with the maximum sentence, the tendency is for him to serve in a semi-open or open regime, and experts consider immediate imprisonment unlikely in this type of case.

What could happen to Bruno Henrique in sports terms?

The Superior Court of Sports Justice requested the evidence used for Bruno Henrique’s indictment from the Public Prosecutor’s Office to analyze it. If the STJD decides to punish the athlete for match-fixing, the striker could face sporting consequences, ranging from temporary suspension to a ban from football.

Timeline of the Bruno Henrique betting case

While the judicial and sporting processes judging Bruno Henrique’s relationship with betting run their course, the spotlight remains on the ongoing vigilance of regulatory bodies and betting houses to ensure the integrity of the sport and the confidence of fans and bettors.

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