Brazil's Federal Police (PF) carried out five search and seizure warrants in Macapá, capital of the northern state of Amapá, on Friday 16 October 2026. The searches are part of an investigation into an alleged scheme to forge and irregularly issue diplomas, academic transcripts and certificates from a private higher education institution. The PF has named the operation Scientia Simulata. The institution has not been publicly identified.

How the case surfaced

According to the PF, the investigation began with a report from the Regional Council of Social Work of Amapá (CRESS/AP), the professional body that registers social workers in the state. The council found inconsistencies in documents presented by a supposed former social work student. They included standardised grades, an internship declaration with dates that did not match, and a reference to distance learning that had not been authorised.

What investigators allege

The PF says the institution was accredited only for in-person courses. It allegedly ran courses through partner hubs in several interior towns, including São Joaquim do Pacuí, Amapá, Cutias, Tartarugalzinho and Laranjal do Jari, as well as Afuá in the neighbouring state of Pará. Local intermediaries reportedly handled enrolment and collected fees, in some cases into third-party bank accounts.

Investigators also report signs of forgery in academic records, such as apparently forged signatures, erasures, blank pages and dates that do not fit together, along with possible irregularities in how diplomas were registered. In Laranjal do Jari, students allegedly received diplomas after paying extra fees described as credit for prior studies.

The PF lists leaders of the institution and representatives of the hubs as possible suspects. Depending on their roles, they could face charges including forgery of a public document, making false statements in a document and use of a false document. The amounts involved have not yet been determined. No charges have been reported, and the claims remain allegations at the investigation stage.

Checking qualifications from distance and partner programmes

The case shows how a professional licensing body can act as an early warning: the social work council spotted the problem while reviewing an application for registration. Regulators and employers elsewhere can apply the same scrutiny to grades, internship records and mode of study.

Anyone assessing a Brazilian qualification should check that both the institution and the specific course, including whether it was approved for distance delivery, appear in Brazil's federal register of authorised higher education institutions and courses (e-MEC). The diploma itself should then be confirmed directly with the issuing institution.

Sources

This News Desk report summarises information published by the sources above, written in our own words. Persons named in criminal matters are accused, not convicted, unless a court has ruled otherwise. To report an error, use our contact page.

BrazilFederal Policeforged diplomasdistance learningprofessional registration

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