Paulo Pereira Cristóvão , once a PJ Chief Inspector, arrested for armed robbery

 http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/nacional/portugal/detalhe/paulo_pereira_cristovao_detido_por_roubos_a_mao_armada.html

Paulo Pereira Cristovao arrested for armed robbery

Acted with the complicity of three agents of the PSP, held last summer.

Paulo Pereira Cristovao, former vice president of Sporting, was arrested this morning by the National Counterterrorism Unit of the Judicial Police for armed robbery in Greater Lisbon, kidnapping and criminal association, found the Morning Post.

The old Leo leader, who was also inspector of the PJ, is suspected of being the mastermind of violent robberies in family homes, committed by three agents of the PSP and other civilian accomplices, been arrested since the beginning of summer.

The scheme went through simulation of police operations, with the display of false warrants for house searches, which ended with the kidnapping and robbery victims - some of whom were assaulted before they run out of money and goods kept at home, including gold. The agents arrived to attack uniformed.


As for Christopher Pereira, who have marked some of the targets to assault, where he knew the accomplices find value goods, is now indicted by the same violent crimes, co-authored. For months, the former vice Sporting is under investigation by the PJ in conjunction with the Central Bureau of Investigation and Penal Action. Should be present tomorrow the judge Carlos Alexandre, in Lisbon.

http://www.tvi24.iol.pt/sociedade/maddie-caso-maddie-gnr-militar-dinheiro-tvi24/1070904-4071.html#

Maddie Case: Suspicious GNR to receive 120,000 euros

It was one of the first officers to arrive in Praia da Luz. PJ is already investigating delivery of money "alive"

By: Writing / Nuno Almeida Ramos | June 19, 2009 at 20:33

One of the soldiers of the National Guard who first came running to the village of Praia da Luz and the couple holiday apartment mccan is suspected of having received more than 120,000 euros in cash "alive", shortly after the disappearance of Maddie. GNR this element is essential to all research, as it was the first on the scene where the girl disappeared and also one of the first contact with parents. TVI found that the case of sudden 120 000 euros in the hands of GNR is being investigated by the Judicial Police (PJ).

The night Maddie McCann disappeared, the first authorities on the scene were the military of the GNR. It was up to them to search the apartment, make initial searches, talk to the McCanns and drive hit the beach and the village, including the areas open to the works of sewage and plumbing, a few dozen meters from the urbanization that the British family had rented for the holidays.

Gery suspect Ride

According to statements made ​​in the process, the military GNR to have witnessed a ride after hours, Gerard McCann, from the Praia da Luz church. All key moments to realize what has happened to the missing child.

TVI know that one of the first military to take account of the occurrence is being targeted by a fact-finding process. At stake are more than 120 thousand euros received in cash in two accounts opened in your name, one of which in CGD. The most serious coincidence is that this money has to be deposited in these accounts, shortly after the disappearance of little Madeleine McCann.

This amount is much higher than the salary of a military GNR and was deposited in cash "alive", according to research sources in tranches over 10 thousand euros.

Military denies deposits

The investigation of these deposits is suspected in hand DCICCEF (Central Directorate for Investigation of Corruption and Economic and Financial Crime), trying to understand the reasons for these payments. Even if the illegality is proven, the link to the Maddie case can not exist, despite the strong coincidence and the high amount of money.

Contacted by TVI, the military in question denied the existence of such deposits, and raised the possibility your name be misused in opening such accounts. Area police sources expressed strangeness about the possibility of this military which consider honest, being involved in unlawful activities.

http://portugalresident.com/new-investigation-sees-ex-cop-and-maddie-author-arrested-for-armed-robbery

News that former PJ inspector Paulo Pereira Cristóvão has been arrested for armed robbery - suspected of being part of a gang which raided people’s homes, posing as policemen in order to steal gold and valuables - has raised more questions than it answers.

Cristóvão, author of the “Star of Madeleine” - a book into the three-year-old’s disappearance that urged readers to “think” - is a former president of the association of missing children.

He is also a former vice-president of Sporting Football Club - where in 2012 his name was dragged into the mud because of a case known as “Cardinal” in which Cristóvão was cited for seven crimes involving qualified fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, IT intrusion, “illegitimate access” and aggravated malicious accusation.

Professing his innocence throughout, Cristóvão was finally given a suspended 15-month ban from sporting activity (October 2014) and fined €3,000.

At the time, he told Público the decision had been “rushed” as there were civil actions awaiting hearing that could see the proof against him overturned.

Now, four months on, comes the new ‘bombshell’ that Cristóvão - who left the PJ shortly after Madeleine went missing to head the APCD, Portugal’s association for missing children - was allegedly involved in a 13-strong gang that raided the homes of wealthy people, purportedly gaining access by pretending to be policemen.

According to Público, Cristóvão - a firm friend of PJ inspector Gonçalo Amaral, whose own book on Madeleine’s disappearance sparked a €1.2 million defamation trial, lodged by the child’s parents - was responsible for marking out victims for the gang and “furnishing information”.

Press reports say the 45-year-old was arrested in Lisbon this morning by the national anti-terrorism unit and that he is due to appear before super-judge Carlos Alexandre - the same judge in charge of the convoluted investigation into alleged dirty dealings of former prime minister José Sócrates.

As Público continues, Cristóvão is under suspicion of having been involved in “armed robbery, kidnappings and criminal association” - in a number of assaults understood to have taken place in the Greater Lisbon/Setúbal areas.
What is puzzling those who know his background is whether this latest arrest has anything to do with timing.

The decision on whether or not his long-term friend Amaral defamed Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann in his book “The Truth of the Lie” is due any day now, after five years of legal to-ing and fro-ing - and the judge’s “reading of the proven facts” which showed strong likelihood that Amaral would not be found guilty of defamation, certainly not to any degree that could possibly require the paying of over a million euros in damages.

Thus, for now, all eyes are on the upshot of Cristóvão’s interrogation tomorrow at the hands of super-judge Carlos Alexandre.

By NATASHA DONN natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
- See more at: http://portugalresident.com/new-investigation-sees-ex-cop-and-maddie-author-arrested-for-armed-robbery#sthash.So8rGwaJ.dpuf

Post Montclair Today at 2:01 pm
A real psychopath this guy. He certainly had a lot of people fooled. Most people in Portugal are commenting about his connection with Sporting, the football club, where was a vice-president. He has been accused of putting money in a linesman bank account to make it look like he had been bribed.
Pereira Cristovão was acquitted of the torture accusation, along with the other PJ officers, but only the pencil pushers were convicted. I wonder now if PPC was not somehow involved in getting Gonçalo convicted, he's crooked enough to do it.

Ayniia Today at 2:09 pm
He never fooled me. When he was vice in Sporting he always had accusations looming over his head,about money,about violent crimes... The only thing for which I like him is the books about Madeleine and Joana and his comments on TV about crimes.
But it's sad that of course people are putting the word SPORTING (as an institution) everywhere. Thank God we now have a president that will surely shut them all quick from associating the crimes with the institution (i hope)

missbeetle Today at 2:12 pm
Crikey, Ayniia - thanks for that - what a rotter of a man!

Tony Bennett Today at 2:22 pm
And he capitalised on Madeleine's disappearance by writing that book 'A Estrela da Madeleine' - 'Madeleine: A Star' - plus fooling us all with his ridiculous 'the 5 & 2 & 3 & 1 nonsense'.
I think you've made a very tenable observation about Cristovão there

A Estrala de Madeleine - thoughts and observations

Post  rainbow-fairy on Sun May 13, 2012 3:07 pm
 Paulo Christovao!

What.A.Book.

Without wishing to detract from Goncalo Amaral and 'The Truth of the Lie', a book I love and a man I find an inspiration, I actually think this book is better.

Will it be translated and freely available to read/buy in UK?  

Are there any libel actions against it? (I fail to see how there could be, but...)

IF the general public (including the indifferent and/or undecided read this, there would be a real sea change of opinion, imho.

It is logical, easy to follow and invites the reader to reach their own conclusions.

Fabulous.

THANK YOU 'admin' for the translations.  

russiandoll on Sun May 13, 2012 4:10 pm
Was wondering where to post a comment, I read this non-stop a couple of days ago.
Great stuff, totally believable and engrossing. I cannot wait to read it in full.
Have been trying to work out the cryptic reference to the" Luz Key" and confidence in the numbers the 5, the 2 the 3 and the 1!
thanks so much for the translations.  

rainbow-fairy on Sun May 13, 2012 5:23 pm
I really, really rate Amaral BUT I do find 'Truth of the Lie' skips a bit...
THIS book, though - if anyone with just two or three brain cells read it would be of the same opinion as the PJ - concealment and simulation.

Ribisl on Sun May 13, 2012 11:59 pm
Just finished reading it all in one sitting. Intriguing and extremely insightful. I'd love to read the full version, though it's unlikely it will ever be translated into English while the MCs rule the British media. Btw the only copy I could find was the original costing USD45.93 (!) from amazon.com.

Miscarriage of justice:

The catalogue of offences associates of Mr Amaral have been found guilty of committing is mind boggling; I think the Portuguese authorities are to be commended for the work they have undertaken in unravelling it all.

Cristovao certainly is one to give pause for thought ... firstly, why take it upon himself to assume such a prominent role in discoursing Madeleine McCann's disappearance?

He is the originator of the long standing "contact with six dead bodies" myth.

... the reasons for his arrest are chilling when one reads of spying on the families of referees, footballers and in particular a six year old child???

Quite. Cristovao deserves jail just for inventing the 'six dead bodies' garbage alone; it's shocking how many haters still believe that.

How funny! The haters are frantically trying to invent a new conspiracy theory to explain this latest disaster away. They're being led by that citizen churnalist Natasha Donn - the one that calls herself Harry_Lime on the hounders' site:  

What is puzzling those who know his background is whether this latest arrest has anything to do with timing. - See more at: http://portugalresident.com/new-investigation-sees-ex-cop-and-maddie-author-arrested-for-armed-robbery#sthash.2v3pnnSA.dpuf

Oh, don't be so utterly pathetic! Cristovao is a bad lot, and has been for years. Have they forgotten he was convicted of stealing €800 from his then-employers, the PJ? About the same time as rape allegations surfaced against him?

Or have they simply ignored all that because, well, Cristovao was Team Gonzo, and therefore could do NO wrong in their eyes?

I am disappointed and a bit disillusioned to hear of the alleged accusations, and like others have pointed out, find the timing extraordinary.

scoobydoo » Tue Mar 03, 2015 9:17 pm
Dear god, a policeman involved in finding a child missing from an apartment block where there had been robberies now turns out to be involved in armed robbery and kidnapping. That's on top of the s.e.x crime allegations, the allegations of torturing a woman who refused to take the blame for her child's disappearance and openly trying to profit by falsely accusing the mccanns. No wonder the Portuguese decided to reopen their investigation into madeleines disappearance .

JillyCL ‏@JillyCL 6m6 minutes ago

Have Kate & Gerry #McCann been arrested yet?  

http://www.msn.com/pt-pt/noticias/other/o-abridor-de-cancelas-que-trocou-a-pol%C3%ADcia-pelo-crime/ar-BBibMI8?ocid=mailsignoutmd

The "opener of gates" who left the police for the crime

The criminal police, came to be known as "opener of gates." Reason: as a security institution, had to open the gates function of prison and send inmates recalled the weekly Sol a former colleague. Contributed to inspector, was charged with torture, left the police to open a consulting firm, wrote several books and came to the vice-presidency of Sporting. Now, opened a new chapter in his life: he was arrested by the PJ, suspected of assault crimes at gunpoint, kidnapping, conspiracy, theft functions, abuse of power and possession of prohibited weapons.

The journey of Christopher Pereira police began in the 1980s "started as school safety [of the Judicial Police] in the late 80s, and eventually compete for the course of inspectors training [at the time was called for course of forming agents], "says the Saturday a PJ inspector.

He joined the Central Directorate for Combating Banditry, where he had contact with more violent crime. Himself claimed to have investigated a bit of everything: from trafficking in human beings, terrorism, kidnapping, and criminal organizations such as the Eastern mafias. But it was in 2004 that turned out to mark his future: the disappearance of Joana, the Algarve girl, daughter of Leonor Cipriano, in September 2004.......

The girl was never found. The mother was sentenced to prison. Pereira Cristovao was transferred to the area of ​​corruption and, along with other inspectors, was eventually charged with torture because of alleged aggressions against Leonor Cipriano. The case "Joan" began his downfall decline in PJ. Some of his friends told to the Vision, in 2012, who felt betrayed and some supported by the institution.

He left the PJ in 2008. He gained renown with the book "The Joan Star" and began to appear in the sports world, especially in football of Sporting Clube de Portugal. Membership in the club, was running for president against José Eduardo Bettencourt in 2009. He lost by a large majority. Two years later, he was invited by Godinho Lopes to assume the vice presidency and assumed the responsibilities of the assets, infrastructure, operations, security and organized groups of fans.

During the campaign, made several controversial statements. In an interview with The Game said that "those who meddle with Sporting takes!", Feeding the image of "tough" and "ruthless". Fired employees involved in illicit schemes of equipment sales and strengthened the relationship with the cheerleaders. But after a few months as leader of the Leo club, saw his work criticized: in some walls of the José Alvalade stadium words were written as "Blackmailer and liar." He was the target. These were the cases that tarnished his career.

Sexual Harassment:

The Vision recalled in 2012, the case in which Paulo Pereira Cristovao offered a lift to a young man who would move the police to be heard in a case of sexual abuse. After the ride, the next day, the girl accused the violation of inspector. The case filed just after the young have removed the charge. But the DCCB never forgot the process.

Embezzlement

The name of Christopher Pereira was also linked to an alleged misuse of 800 euros after a seizure of money by the police. According to the Vision, this alleged crime has been committed in the period in which the former inspector was in financial research office.

Joan

In September 2004, Joana Cipriano, a girl of eight years, disappeared in Figueira, Portimão in the municipality. During the investigation, Paulo Pereira Cristovao asked family and friends of the young. Following the interrogation, the girl's mother, Leonor Cipriano, accused the former inspector of physical attacks, having appeared with ailments in the body in the Prison of Odemira, where he was in custody.

The investigation and the trial ended in 2009 with the acquittal of the inspectors, although it had been proved in court that someone assaulted Leonor within the PJ in Faro. However, its relations with the lawyer who defended him, António Pragal Colaco, were not good. Contacted by Saturday, following his arrest on 3 March 2015, the lawyer would not talk about the old client and said only that "the detention already predicted long."

Cardinal:

In April 2012, an anonymous letter to the president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), Fernando Gomes Pereira claimed that Christopher had bribed an assistant referee, José Cardinal, named for a game between Sporting and Maritimo. The letter was eventually delivered to the PJ by the President of the "lions", Godinho Lopes.

The prosecution accused the former leader Leo seven crimes: a crime of aggravated fraud, a money laundering (both co-authored), a wanton through information technology, two of embezzlement, a qualified illegitimate access and a qualified slanderous denunciation. The case still runs in the courts and is awaiting trial.

The former inspector who also writes books

Within the PJ was frowned upon after the publication of the book "The Joan Star" in which revealed some of the methods used by the authorities to make eavesdropping. At the time, opened a business intelligence company and wrote the book "The Madeleine Star". The book talked about the alleged investigations that had not been made in the search for British girl who disappeared in Praia da Luz in the Algarve. The McCanns sued him, as recalls the Observer.  (Incorrect, the McCanns sued Amaral not him.)

Taken from Correio da Manhã newspaper:

http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/nacional/portugal/detalhe/vida_privada_de_atletas_vigiada.html

private life of athletes watched

Path Through the Sporting marked by invasion of private intimacy.

Club players and referees were the main targets of espionage scheme carried out by Paulo Pereira Cristóvão while he was vice president of Sporting. In searches made in Alvalade Stadium in 2012 by the Unit for Combating Corruption of PJ, a list of arbitrators of the Football League was found. The personal and family lives of several referees came to be published on the Internet.

Among the players targeted by the PJ's former investigator scheme was Rui Patricio. At the time, extramarital relationship with Liliana Aguiar was passed combed by Paulo Pereira Cristovao. Other players like Carrilho and Rojo, were also monitored in their homes and in places frequented. Paulo Pereira Cristovao defended himself with "the protection of assets of the club."

It is already next month Paulo Pereira Cristovao trial opens the seven crimes he was accused by DIAP Lisbon. The espionage scheme is provided for in qualified unlawful access of murder and wanton by computer.

But there are more crimes: a crime of aggravated fraud, another of money laundering, two embezzlement and finally slanderous denunciation aggravated.

The crimes of fraud, embezzlement and money laundering correspond to the fact that the money paid by the Leo club to companies that were monitoring the players and referees get into the Paulo Pereira Cristovao accounts. There were two contracts: an eight thousand euros and another six thousand euros.

Benfica have also been the target of an attempted espionage by cristóvão. investigation has shown that he made a prospect to get a company to provide video surveillance cameras to Benfica. The aim was mainly control the Seixal training center. Cristóvão knew the Benfica had organized a contest to award the installation of surveillance cameras and their idea was to get the contest was won by a company you trust in order to be able to control the rival club. In April, Paulo Pereira Cristovao sits in the trial to be judged for these crimes.

I would not be in the least surprised if, 7+ years ago, his associates were given their orders to flood English-speaking internet boards with anti-McCann lies and propaganda disguised as 'wonderful translators', people that just happened to live in the PDL area, 'sources', etc.  

I believe this is something that we have questioned many times over the past years.  The characters involved, the explanation of crimes that sounded too ridiculous to be true.  

Cristovao is no different to a Mafia boss with the mob. It must have been their 'golden days' before the McCann case turned sour on them.  

One of the tapas group had a contact in the media.  However, the news would have reached the UK in no time at all even without that help, as Missions typically have the ability to have all contacts covered.  Some people on the anti forums seem to have no idea at all of what happens in Missions.

Two young girls who vanished into thin air in the jurisdiction of the same lead cop.  The inability to solve both crimes properly but ascribed similar reasons involving fridges and bones eaten by pigs.  Then later there was Jacinta Rees who managed to commit suicide by axing her head a few times.   She unfortunately lived in the path of drug runners and alleged child traffickers.  Those are just 3 cases!  That does not include all the other crimes in the area.    

Amaral et al knew they had to invoke judicial secrecy in this matter.  Their secrets had to remain just that.

How convenient then for the translators and Amoral that they could spin their tales as needed.  When they saw that they were believed they must have thought they could do no wrong.

Let us not forget among those wonderful translators was Duarte Levy who saw this as a way to make a lot of money.  He is close to Amoral, Morais who was close to both and on and on.  Levy blatantly lied at every turn and he was just one of them.  Add it all together and you have quite a propaganda machine.

Of course, if everything had happened as Amoral insisted, then they would not have needed to do any of that.

The former inspector PJ Paulo Pereira Cristovao was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of conspiracy, theft and kidnapping.
The former inspector PJ Paulo Pereira Cristovao, arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of conspiracy, burglary and kidnapping, arrived today, just before 14:00, the Criminal Court of Lisbon Center, an unidentified vehicle.
Shortly after, another car unidentified brought other accused, one cheerleader element of Sporting, known as "Mustafa".
At about 14:20 we arrived at the Christopher Pereira's lawyer, Paul Farinha Alves, who proved to be the lawyer of the former Inspector of Judicial Police (PJ) and former vice president of Sporting, if excusing however to make any representations about the process .
The defendants will be heard today by Judge Carlos Alexandre, while the prosecution is represented by attorneys John Melo and Vitor Magalhães.
The facts that the defendants are accused have been committed between January and July 2014.

The facts that the accused are alleged to have been committed between January and July 2014.

According to police source, speaking on Tuesday, Lusa, the former PJ Inspector is alleged to have provided "useful information about the victims" to criminal association to which he belonged, being one of the "masterminds" of robberies and kidnappings perpetrated by the group.

Pereira Cristóvão, of 45 years, who began his career at PJ as security, prior to joining career of Inspector, is suspected of "providing useful information to the material authors" of crimes of robbery and kidnapping, in the zone of Lisbon and Setúbal.

Quote from: Montclair on Today at 03:41:20 PM
Cristóvão had no connection with the Maddie case, the only thing he did was write a fictionalised account of the investigation. He wasnassociated with a lot of people who are now gobsmacked at his arrest. BTW, the head of the investigation into his criminal activities is Luís Neves, the same person who testified on Gonçalo Amaral's behalf in the libel/damages trial.

Quote from: stephen25000 on Today at 07:25:39 PM
Is this is yet another desperate attempt to try and link people to Madeleine's disappearance.

How pathetic.

Desperate times indeed for the mccanns and their supporters.

"I was one of the victims of Pereira Cristovao"

04/03/2015, 21:48168 SHARES
Businessman Cascais met former PJ inspector as dealer soccer players. Tried to sell him two footballers passes. Realized that the business was false and was assaulted in millions.


Victim had million in a safe. Nothing recovered
LUSA

It was 22 hours. The doorbell rang and on the other side there were two uniformed police men and a third civil. "We came execute a search warrant on suspicion of trafficking in diamonds," justified the manager of real estate. Weapons at the ready, he, his daughter and his girlfriend searched from top to bottom and a single target: the vaults that held millions of euros in cash, checks and statements of debts.

"I wondered who knew where he was safe and that they should put the money in his pocket. When they left, I proposed to accompany them to the prosecutor, denied me. And I realized I had been robbed, "says the businessman Cascais to the Observer.

Prefers to remain anonymous, but that day February 27, 2014 has left its mark. The daughter, 16, walks since then safely. Is "traumatized". They also had to move house and only now, with the arrest of Paulo Pereira Cristovao, can breathe a sigh of relief.

According to the complainant, who initially complained to PSP Cascais, it all started when you had your PC as draws Paulo Pereira Cristovao. A man "sweet hand", describes, to justify how easily made ​​friends. Pereira Cristovao was presented at the time as dealer soccer players . Even left him a business card, but "without the business address." "I wanted to sell me two passes of players, but I told him that my branch was the real estate," he recalls.

After some prodding, the businessman began to ask him questions. And when he realized that Pereira Cristovao "did not even have the pass of the players, then could not sell them." Confronted him with this and put an end "friendship". He did the same with the man who introduced them. "I found it was a drug dealer after we were friends. He knew where my coffers were, "he says.

The day of the robbery, the suspects stole checks and statements of debts totaling in excess two million euros . They took also three car keys, including a Lamborghini and Aston Martin . A gold wire of 16 thousand euros, a mobile phone "with 400 contacts of Brazilian companies" and money, the entrepreneur prefers not to quantify. "It was more than ten families who have suffered all together," he says. They could not take the car because the garage condo was locked. But they left marks on the intercom: was beaten.

The authorities, the business secured have shown all the evidence of origin of the stolen money. More. He said as soon as the origin of the crime would Pereira Cristovao. "He had already sent another group of robbers, but then gave up. And this group came to tell me everything, "he explains. Months later, when the PJ arrested two members of a police force who participated in burglaries in the areas of Lisbon and Setúbal, the robbers also ended up admitting that those who gave them orders was Pereira Cristovao.

It took a few months to gather evidence to arrest the former PJ inspector and former vice president of Sporting. It happened on Tuesday.

http://observador.pt/2015/03/04/eu-fui-uma-das-vitimas-de-pereira-cristovao/

Truthiness2 » Thu Mar 05, 2015 9:37 am
If any of this is true, and I include the 7 charges he faces in the Cardinal case, then does anyone really believe that he went from super, whiter than white policeman to a man involved in fraud, blackmail, armed robberies, kidnapping, assault...etc?

A detective has access to all sorts of privileged information about people, and access to people from the underworld.

Must be a great temptation to use the information you have to blackmail and threaten men who have a lot to lose. Or to turn a blind eye to crime in return for information or money.

It makes you potentially powerful and potentially rich, if you have superiors and colleagues who will cover for you.

And when you leave, why waste all that information and skill?

Mobyra » Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:52 am

Gobilina wrote:This guy was also reportedly writing a column for a Portugese paper leaking alsorts of smears on the McCanns over Madeleine's disappearence. I suppose he could be behind the leaked diaries...he is not named obviously but you have to wonder who this crime correspondent was referring to....  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1563938/Madeleine-McCann-police-chief-breaks-silence.html

Yes, & he was named as the main culprit in spreading mis-information "leaked" by Amaral's team.

Amaral is not the only accused officer linked to the McCann investigation. Another is the recently retired Chief Inspector Paulo Pereira Cristovao, who has been writing a daily column on the Madeleine inquiry for a Portuguese newspaper that has been reporting sensational stories, leaked by sources close to the police inquiry, some of which have later been proven to be untrue.

He himself also makes abundantly clear who the real person behind "sources close to the police inquiry" was in his book...namely João Tavares, the very same officer accused, but found not guilty, of torturing Cipriano & later convicted to 2 & 1/2 years suspended prison sentence for torturing a Portuguese man named Virgilino Borges. The very same officer who gave witness statement in the injunction hearing regarding Amaral's book. Which he, when asked by the judge in the libel trial, confessed to never having even read.

 CM’s influence?

How dare they publish that picture in the middle of this article, without any caption, virtually implying for those that just read the headline & look at the picture that it is referring to Amaral? (I believe it is Cristovão on the left looking down at his phone, yet clearly not the subject of the picture)

Ex-PJ detective and Madeleine book author arrested on a series of charges, including kidnapping

http://theportugalnews.com/news/ex-pj-detective-and-madeleine-book-author-arrested-on-a-series-of-charges-including-kidnapping/34181

Ex-PJ detective and Madeleine book author arrested on a series of charges, including kidnapping
IN NEWS · 05-03-2015 14:50:00 · 0 COMMENTS
Former Polícia Judiciária (PJ) detective and ex-Sporting Vice President Paulo Pereira Cristovão was this week arrested on a number of criminal charges, which include kidnapping and robbery. He gained widespread prominence after authoring a book, Estrela da Madeleine (Madeleine’s Star) in which he analyses the disappearance of Madeleine McCann from her holiday apartment almost eight years ago.

Paulo Pereira Cristovão was arrested this week as his former colleagues drew nearer to concluding an investigation initiated in July 2014 related to a series of criminal charges. Up until this week, investigations had resulted in the arrest of 12 people, including three PSP police officers.

Cristovão, also a former president of the Portuguese Association for Missing Children, has been linked to these 12 suspects and is said to have worked on “identifying potential victims who would then be robbed inside their homes. These robberies would be undertaken by police officers simulating house searches, armed with forged legal warrants. On occasion, these searches would be conducted by officers dressed in their respective uniforms”, culminating in robberies, PJ sources said, following the announcement of Cristovão’s arrest.

Police further explained that these crimes took place in the Greater Lisbon Area and Setúbal to the south, with the assailants often resorting to violence in order to establish where their victims had hidden cash or items of considerable value.

A statement issued by PJ police reveals that three men, aged between 37 and 49, among them Cristivão, 45, were detained by the National Anti-Terrorism Unit on charges which included the use of illegal firearms in a series armed robberies, with victims often being taken against their will.

The trio arrested on Tuesday are alleged to have been responsible for identifying targets for the subsequent and usually violent robberies perpetrated by their 12 accomplices.

Cristovão also worked on the case involving the disappearance of Joana Cipriano, who was eight when she went missing in 2004 from her mother’s home in Figueira, located between Portimão and Lagos in the Algarve.

He was later accused of being present as his colleagues allegedly extracted a confession from Joana’s mother by resorting to physical violence. Leonor Cipriano signed a confession, but retracted it a day later alleging she had been beaten by police officers. According to police, the bruising on her face was due to her having fallen down a flight of stairs at the police station during the interrogation.

Cristovão was later cleared by a Faro court of any wrong-doing, but resigned from PJ police shortly afterwards.

He also published a book on the disappearance of Joana, of whom there is still no trace.
A decision by a Lisbon court is expected shortly, and in the event of deciding to remand the ex-police detective in custody, he would likely be held at the Évora prison where former Prime Minister José Sócrates is currently being kept pending further investigations.

I don't know why the haters say his criminal activities have nothing to do with Madeleine. Aside from his connection as a policeman, I would have thought anyone relatively local involved in kidnapping and robbery would be worth looking into more. The haters have a strange logic. Someone finds an art site where someone posted a picture of a woman in sinking sand and they decide it is a husband of a McCann relative. They then decide this is connected to madeleines disappearance a thousand miles away seven years earlier, and try to get the person and their partner fired. But nooooo a policeman who was friends with the lead detective and tried to make money from blaming the McCann's being found to have been involved in home invasions and kidnappings is completely unrelated to the home invasion and kidnapping of Madeleine McCann.

Dear Brethren,

In light of the recent arrest of Paulo Pereira Cristovao, Snr Amaral's BFF, we urge all members to DENY, DENY, DENY any link between them as vociferously as you can.

Any photos of our beloved and Cristovao are to be denounced as fake.

As far as we are concerned Cristovao never wrote a book about Madeleine. That too is a fake.

Any articles written by Cristovao about Madeleine in the Portuguese press in 2007/8, which seemed to contain leaks from the police in charge at the time, are fake.

Remember, DENY, DENY, DENY.

Hail to the Beloved!

Paulo Pereira Cristóvão, the former PJ detective-turned-president of the association of missing children-turned vice president of Sporting Football Club and now suspected of a leading role in a gang of armed robbers that posed as policemen, has been having one heck of a week - ferried to and from the central court of criminal instruction in Lisbon with still no decision as to what should happen next. The conundrum is further exacerbated by the problem posed by sending him into preventive custody in Évora jail - the institution reserved for the country’s disgraced security service personnel. Évora is home not only to Portugal’s most famous prisoner - former Socialist prime minister José Sócrates - it also houses the former PSP policeman who is believed to have ratted on Cristóvão, leading to his arrest on Tuesday morning. Elói Fachada was rounded up by police for his part in the gang last summer. Media sources suggest he was the source that fingered Cristóvão as the ‘spy’ who allegedly furnished the ring with details on its targets. Fachada has since been “attacked” in Évora while apparently exercising in the gym and called a “snitch”. Thus prosecutors’ concern that remanding Cristóvão to Évora as the case is prepared for court could lead to further skirmishes - not to mention any other conflicts or potential risks regarding “perversion of justice”. Meantime, Cristóvão is facing his third day of grillings as super-judge Carlos Alexandre is expected to announce bail terms later today. Natasha Donn