I'm always impressed about the overall misconception that Bitcoin itself is inherently suitable for illicit activities.

In a recent testimony to the Financial Pyramid Scheme Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI das Pirâmides Financeiras), Mateus Muller, a former investor of Atlas Quantum, brought forth a series of accusations against the company, including the illicit financing of electoral campaigns between 2018 and 2019.

According to Muller, the source of the information regarding the donations came directly from Carolina de Almeida Costa, former financial director of Atlas. He claims to have received messages from her confirming significant transfers, such as a donation of R$ 600,000 to Jair Messias Bolsonaro's campaign.

The payments were allegedly made through intermediaries connected to the company's management.

"What caught my attention was the donation of R$ 600,000 to Jair Messias Bolsonaro through lawyers and people connected to Atlas Quantum's management. I suggest that this Commission summons Carolina de Almeida Costa, who confirmed this information. She was the financial director of Atlas. As well as Rodrigo Marques' ex-wife, who also held a high-level position in the company, Ester Braga," said Muller.

Rodrigo Marques, co-founder of Atlas Quantum, was also mentioned in the testimony. Muller emphasizes the need to hear from Carolina Costa and Ester Braga, Rodrigo Marques' ex-wife and former high-level executive of the company, as both may have additional information about the case.

Muller, who now leads the Valquíria Group, an organization of Atlas victims seeking compensation for the scams they suffered, stated that the alleged campaign donations aimed to protect the company from investigations.

He suggested that authorities may have neglected investigations, raising suspicions of complicity.

However, Muller's testimony was challenged. Deputy Alfredo Gaspar (União-AL) demanded concrete evidence to support the accusations. As Muller is obligated to tell the truth before the CPI, any omission or falsification of information on his part could result in charges of perjury.

It is worth noting that in April 2021, Atlas victims went to Brasília to seek President Bolsonaro's help in investigating the company. As reported by Livecoins, an investor explained the entire situation of Atlas to the then President of Brazil.

"Mr. President, both I and people from São Paulo, I am part of a group of investors who invested a lifetime of capital in a company called Atlas Quantum, and the owner of that company, Rodrigo Marques, in the midst of a pandemic - I see many people calling you a genocidal (sic) - this guy (Rodrigo Marques) has the money of 40,000 families, who are now unemployed."

In a conversation with Livecoins, the investor said he received information on how to proceed with the situation, but nothing has changed since then.

Atlas Quantum, founded in 2018 in São Paulo by Rodrigo Marques dos Santos and Fabrício Spiazzi Sanfelice Cutis, gained notoriety by promoting its arbitrage robot "Quantum." The software promised automated Bitcoin transactions, guaranteeing constant profits to its investors.

However, in 2019, the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (Comissão de Valores Mobiliários) initiated an investigation into the company. Since then, Atlas Quantum has ceased its payments, affecting over 200,000 clients. The losses caused are estimated to exceed R$ 6 billion.

Under Muller's leadership, the Valquíria Group conducted its own investigations and claims to have found evidence of the pyramid scheme within the company. Muller states that he has gained access to a massive amount of documents from Atlas, which includes evidence of irregular practices.

The CPI meeting was expecting to hear other testimonies, including Guilherme Haddad Nazar, the general director of Binance in Brazil, and João Ricardo Rangel Mendes, president of Hotel Urbano. However, both communicated their unavailability, promising to testify soon.

With the revelations brought to light, it is expected that new investigations will be intensified, shedding light on the operations of Atlas Quantum and possible political connections.

Livecoins reached out to Jair Bolsonaro's press office but did not receive a response. The space remains open for comments.

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