Brazilian who sold iPhone made of clay is sentenced to more than 4 years in prison

The influencer Daniel Augusto Bicalho Ferreira de Souza, which gained repercussion in the media in April on suspicion of involvement in the scam of selling iPhones made of clay, was sentenced to four years and one month in open prison. Daniel will also have to pay R$13,000 to the victim who reported him, in addition to paying a 10-day fine, worth R$470.67, for extortion and threats.

Open sentencing

In the assessment of judge Vitor Marcos de Almeida Silva, from the 4th Criminal Court of the District of Belo Horizonte, the crime committed by the influencer, who has more than 300 thousand followers on social networks, is characterized as a crime aimed at easy and without serious consequences, such as fatal threats or risk to the victim’s life.

In this way, the open regime was determined. During the day, Daniel will be able to work, study and carry out other activities authorized by the Court. At night and on days off, he must remain at home. He is also prohibited from leaving the city where he resides, except with judicial authorization.

Defense Plans to Appeal

Daniel’s defense has already announced that it intends to appeal the decision.

“The defense publicly expresses its disagreement with the sentence handed down. We emphasize that the prosecution did not present robust evidence to support the conviction, relying exclusively on the testimony of the alleged victims.

It is important to highlight that no weapon was found in the defendant’s possession or in his residence during the searches carried out by the Civil Police of Minas Gerais (PCMG). The images from the security cameras, attached to the case by the defense, clearly demonstrate that the negotiation between the parties took place peacefully, without signs of threat or coercion.

In view of these inconsistencies, the defense has already filed an appeal with the court of first instance and is waiting for justice to be effective in analyzing this appeal, so that the sentence can be reviewed with due impartiality and legal basis.”

The clay iPhone scam: understand the Case

In April, a couple in Minas Gerais went to the police to report a scam related to the purchase of two iPhone 15s.

According to the Civil Police of Minas Gerais (PCMG), the sale of the devices took place in February this year. The couple found the ad on a social network, and the model advertised was the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The advertised price for the device was R$7,500, with the offer of a discount for purchasing two, where each unit It would cost R$6,500.

The negotiation meeting took place on February 23rd. At the agreed location, the suspect, an influencer with almost 300,000 followers on social media, allegedly threatened the couple when they asked to check the contents of the boxes and claimed he was armed.

According to delegate Gabriel Teixeira, the victim made the payment, and, after the suspect left the scene by car, the woman opened the boxes and found the “smartphones” made of clay.