Anísio Abraão David
Aniz Abraão David | |
|---|---|
| Born | Aniz Abraão David June 7, 1937 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Occupation(s) | Bicheiro, honorary president of Beija-Flor samba school |
| Known for | Leader in illicit jogo do bicho lottery business; honorary president of Beija-Flor; former president of LIESA (1985–1987) |
Aniz Abraão David (born 7 June 1937 in Rio de Janeiro), commonly referred to as Anísio, is a prominent figure in the illicit jogo do bicho lottery business (bicheiro) and holds the title of honorary president of the Beija-Flor samba school located in Nilópolis. He was the president of the Independent League of Samba Schools of Rio de Janeiro (LIESA) between 1985 and 1987.
From the early 1960s onward, Anísio and his relatives established control over local political structures, dominated the bicho gambling operations in the Baixada Fluminense, and gained substantial influence within Rio's carnival environment. Their close ties with the military government, which included cooperation in suppressing dissent and securing protection from military and police forces, played a crucial role in their ascendancy. They strengthened their position by removing smaller bicheiros, taking over their gambling points through intimidation tactics, and assuming leadership of the Beija-Flor samba school, which facilitated their social rise and consolidated their power base in Nilópolis.
Early life
During the early 1900s, families of Syrian-Lebanese descent such as Sessim and Abraão David settled in Nilópolis as merchants serving the local community. The family’s political involvement began in the 1960s; notably, Jorge Sessim David was elected to the state legislature in 1962 representing the UDN. The Abraão David and Sessim families have since been deeply intertwined with Nilópolis’ political affairs. Anísio’s cousin, Simão Sessim, a supporter of the military regime, assumed office as mayor of Nilópolis in 1972 under the banner of ARENA, with their family retaining considerable influence over municipal governance thereafter.
Anísio was born as the seventh child among ten siblings to Lebanese immigrants originating from Akkar. He began working as a street vendor along Rio’s Central train station route and also collected rents in Nilópolis. Identifying a leadership void within Nilópolis’ jogo do bicho scene, he and his brother Nelson seized control over local betting operations during the 1960s.
The family’s political rise coincided with their acquisition of control over Beija-Flor in the mid-1970s, which they financially backed. Under their stewardship, Beija-Flor ascended to prominence within Rio’s carnival elite through extravagant parades while maintaining connections to the military government. Over ensuing decades, their influence permeated both city politics and samba school administration.
Bicheiro
Anísio exercised control over illegal jogo do bicho activities throughout Nilópolis and the broader Baixada Fluminense area. Investigative reports identify him as the principal leader of an organisation that expanded during the 1960s and 1970s via a network based in Baixada Fluminense, utilizing political leverage through state deputy Jorge Sessim David—a family ally who facilitated integration with the military regime following the 1964 coup.
In a landmark 1993 trial acknowledging a mafia-style organisation operating Brazil’s illegal lottery, Anísio was convicted alongside thirteen other bicho financiers such as Castor de Andrade and Capitão Guimarães. They were held accountable for at least 53 homicides and received six-year sentences—the maximum penalty for racketeering charges. By December 1996, all had been released either on parole or through clemency measures. Anísio’s criminal record includes six arrests related to his control over jogo do bicho, notably during Operation Hurricane in 2007, which targeted both bicheiros and members of the judiciary.
The family has sustained strong political influence within Nilópolis. His brother Farid Abraão David, who presided over Beija-Flor for eighteen years until his death in 2020, also served as mayor from 2001 to 2008 and again from 2017 to 2020. A nephew held office twice as a state deputy, while Simão Sessim represented Nilópolis with ten consecutive terms in the federal Chamber of Deputies spanning from 1979 to 2019.
Manipulating the 2007 Carnival
On April 12, 2007, Anísio along with fellow bicheiros such as Antonio Petrus Kalil (Turcão) and Capitão Guimarães were among 25 individuals detained during Operation Hurricane. The crackdown targeted their involvement in illicit lottery operations, bingo establishments, and slot machine distribution networks. Federal Police investigations exposed substantial bribery payments made by these operators to judges, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and attorneys. Authorities confiscated a vast array of documents and approximately US$6 million in cash.
One accusation claimed that the results of Rio de Janeiro's 2007 carnival parade were manipulated by the bicheiros. It was reported that Anísio, leader of Beija-Flor, the carnival winner that year, employed both bribery and intimidation tactics—including the use of a hitman—to sway the carnival judges. According to a Federal Police dossier, certain jury members were either financially influenced or coerced to favor Beija-Flor’s performance. A gunman associated with Beija-Flor’s honorary president reportedly threatened members of the judging panel. The report highlighted that jurors who declined Anísio's inducements were subjected to death threats targeting themselves or their families if Beija-Flor did not secure victory in the 2007 carnival.
Subsequent Detention and Sentencing
After being released pending a habeas corpus appeal, Anísio was apprehended once more on January 11, 2012, for traveling accompanied by an armed security detail. Concurrently, authorities were probing allegations of money laundering against him. His arrest followed an unsuccessful earlier police operation involving a helicopter raid on his Copacabana penthouse while he was not present.
On March 12, 2012, Anísio received a prison sentence totaling 48 years along with a fine of BRL 11 million (approximately USD 6 million) for charges including organizing armed gangs, money laundering, smuggling, and corruption. This conviction also encompassed other bicho leaders such as Capitão Guimarães and Antônio Petrus Kalil. Following the ruling, Anísio was taken into custody again. Although the sentence was later overturned by the Supreme Federal Court, in December 2012 he, along with Capitão Guimarães, Kalil, and 19 additional defendants, were reconvicted by Rio de Janeiro’s Criminal Court. Anísio received a revised sentence of 47 years and 9 months for conspiracy and corruption offenses. The presiding judge emphasized that the bicheiros' criminal syndicate maintained "a strong relationship with state institutions through bribery of public servants—including police officers, judiciary members, and political campaign financing at both state and federal levels."