Brazilian Woman Accused Of Wheeling Dead Uncle Into Bank To Secure A Loan

A security camera in a Rio de Janeiro bank captured a shocking scene — a woman (identified as 42-year-old Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes) wheeling a dead man (68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga) into the branch. CNN Brazil reported that Nunes allegedly attempted to use Mr Braga's identity to finalize loan documents, raising questions about her desperate attempt. 

Reuters reported that Nunes told a bank worker that her uncle wanted to take out a loan for the equivalent of about $3,250. In the CCTV footage, she held a pen and moved his hand forward to no response.

"Uncle, are you listening? You need to sign," she said, according to the security video, suggesting she sign for him. "He doesn't say anything, that's just how he is," she said, adding, "If you're not okay, I'm going to take you to the hospital."

Bank staff became suspicious as the man's head kept falling back when the woman stopped holding it and they called the police, who arrested her on the spot on fraud charges. The corpse was taken to the morgue, Reuters reported.

Agencia Brasil reported that the incident happened in Bangu, a city just over three hours by car from the popular tourist areas of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Bank workers became suspicious when the woman began talking into the ear of the pale limp man's body. 

The dead body was later taken to a morgue. 

The woman's lawyer argued that the man died at the bank but a police forensic analysis determined he had died earlier while lying down.