The searches were confirmed by an official source of the Portuguese Attorney General's Office (PGR) to the Economic Newspaper: "It is confirmed that searches were carried out within the scope of the investigation directed by the Central Investigation and Penal Action Department (DCIAP) regarding the universe of Isabel dos Santos' companies".
The searches were carried out as part of a money laundering and tax fraud investigation of Isabel dos Santos' companies. In addition to Brito Pereira's house and the law offices, the Observer states that the authorities have also been carrying out démarches at the headquarters of Fidequity, Matter Business Solutions and Burgate - Portuguese companies owned by the entrepreneur.
The law firm Uría Menendez explained that the searches they were made on are strictly linked to the services that lawyer Jorge Brito Pereira provided to Isabel dos Santos while working there and assured that he is cooperating with the authorities.
"In light of recent events, Jorge Brito Pereira decided to disassociate himself" from the firm on 23 January, "so as not to damage the reputation of this law firm". Quoted by the newspaper Jornal Económico, the firm also stresses that it has and will continue to provide full "cooperation to the judicial authorities, with respect for all their legal and ethical duties".
According to the Observer, the Public Prosecutor's Office has seven inquiries underway against the daughter of the former President, José Eduardo dos Santos. However, the search carried out this Wednesday concerns an investigation into alleged transfers of over 100 million euros from Sonangol to Dubai-based consultancy firms. The purchase by Burgate of a house in Quinta do Lago - which belongs to Mário Leite da Silva, also involved in the Luanda Leaks case - is also part of the reasons for the PGR to order the searches.
It should be remembered that Isabel dos Santos' empire has been in the sights of the authorities, after a series of confidential documents, known as 'Luanda Leaks', which question the origin of the entrepreneur's fortune. This is an alleged financial scheme that has allowed the Angolan State to withdraw money from tax havens.
At the moment, Isabel dos Santos' accounts are seized both in Angola and Portugal. The Portuguese public prosecutor decided to proceed with the seizure after the Angolan authorities requested aid from the Portuguese authorities.
