BOSTON, MA – Antonio Jose De Abreu Vidal Filho, 30, currently residing in Malden, was indicted on multiple counts related to visa fraud and perjury after allegedly failing to disclose his involvement in a mass murder in Brazil, known as The Slaughter of Curió, when applying for a U.S. visa.
U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston announced that De Abreu is charged with two counts of visa fraud, two counts of perjury, and one count of falsifying a material fact. Following his initial court appearance in Boston, he has been detained pending a further hearing scheduled for June 5, 2024.
The indictment details that in November 2015, De Abreu, then a member of the Ceara State Military Police, participated in a retaliatory killing spree that resulted in the deaths of 11 people, mostly teenagers, in the capital of Ceará, Brazil. This incident was a response to the murder of a fellow police officer earlier that evening.
Despite being arrested and charged with murder by Brazilian authorities in 2016, De Abreu was released pending trial and subsequently applied for a U.S. non-immigrant B2 visitor visa in 2017. During his visa application process, De Abreu falsely answered “no” when asked about any prior arrests or convictions. His visa was approved based on these representations, and he traveled to the U.S. in 2018. Since his arrival, he has obtained various state IDs, a social security card, and work authorization.
Further complicating his legal situation, De Abreu applied for asylum in 2020, where he again allegedly lied about his criminal history abroad. His prior convictions in Brazil were significant: on June 25, 2023, he was convicted of 11 counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and four counts of physical and mental torture, receiving a sentence of 275 years and 11 months in prison.
The charges against De Abreu in the U.S. could lead to additional sentences, including up to 10 years for misuse of visas and permits, and up to five years each for perjury and falsifying information, along with potential fines and supervised release.
The case highlights the international collaboration in law enforcement and underscores the severe consequences of providing false information on immigration documentation.
