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Judge in Brazil Found to Have Assumed False Identity for Over Two Decades
Authorities in São Paulo, Brazil, have revealed a striking case of identity fraud involving a judge who operated under a fake British persona for 23 years.
The individual, originally named José Eduardo Franco dos Reis, adopted the elaborate alias Edward Albert Lancelot Dodd Canterbury Caterham Wickfield. His legal career spanned more than two decades, during which he served as a judge under this false identity.
In an interview with a local Brazilian newspaper shortly after passing the judiciary’s public examination in 1995, Wickfield claimed to be the son of English nobility, asserting he was born in Brazil but spent his formative years in the United Kingdom until the age of 25.
This case of deception was uncovered only recently, gaining widespread attention thanks to a report from the news outlet G1. Public prosecutors and police have categorized this situation as a significant and elaborate fraud.
Many Brazilians have expressed their astonishment at how a figure in such a respected position could maintain a façade for so long, marked by a name that stood out as notably peculiar for the region.
In October, while still identifying as Wickfield, the judge sought to renew his identification at a governmental office in São Paulo. However, discrepancies in the documents became apparent; while all the records bore his assumed British names, the registration number on his birth certificate corresponded to that of Dos Reis. Subsequent police investigations confirmed that both names referred to the same individual through fingerprint analysis.
Initial findings suggest that Dos Reis began using the Wickfield alias in the early 1980s. Authorities state that he falsified documents, enrolled in the prestigious law program at the University of São Paulo, and was appointed as a judge in 1995, continuing in this role until his retirement in 2018.
Upon discovery of his fraud, police summoned him for questioning. This time, identifying as Dos Reis, he claimed that Wickfield was, in fact, his twin brother, allegedly placed for adoption by a noble British family. He provided little further context regarding his elaborate identity.
Interestingly, the names he adopted seem to draw inspiration from British literature, as noted in a report by the Folha de S Paulo newspaper. Notable references might include Lancelot from the Arthurian legends and Mr. Wickfield, a character in Charles Dickens’s novel, David Copperfield.
In light of these developments, a public prosecutor has leveled charges against Dos Reis for identity fraud and the use of false documentation. However, law enforcement has been unable to locate him, preventing a formal summons from being issued.
In a decisive move last Friday, the São Paulo Court suspended his pension payments as a retired judge, which amounted to R$166,413.94 (over $28,000) in February alone.
Source
www.theguardian.com