Inspired by a real case

The Banco Central theft in Fortaleza

Fortaleza, Brazil, 2005

This case is a work of fiction. The characters, names, places and events in the game do not portray real people. The account below is a factual summary, based on public sources, of the case that served as inspiration.

In April 2005, a gang rented a house on Rua 25 de Março, in downtown Fortaleza, a few blocks from the regional headquarters of the Banco Central, and set up a fake artificial turf company there, even handing out branded caps to avoid suspicion. For about three months, working in shifts, the group dug a tunnel of almost 80 meters and about 75 centimeters in diameter from the house, shored up with hundreds of planks, with lighting, ventilation and an intercom.

In the early hours of Saturday, August 6, 2005, the tunnel reached the vault floor, and about R$164 million in used R$50 notes, some 3.5 tons of money with untraceable serial numbers, left through it. The theft was only discovered on Monday, August 8, when employees opened the vault. Four days later, the Federal Police stopped a truck carrying 11 cars bought in cash at a Fortaleza dealership and R$2.5 million hidden inside, and following the money led the investigation to the gang. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office charged 133 people and the Federal Court convicted 119; it is estimated that only about R$60 million was recovered, in cash and in auctions of assets. The case became the 2022 documentary series 3 Tonelada$: Assalto ao Banco Central.

Sources

In the game

Under the Street

Regional treasury of Banco da União, downtown Fortaleza, a Monday in August, 8 am. The guard opened the vault gate with the treasurer and found the shelves empty.

The game borrows the rented house near the bank, the front company selling artificial turf, the tunnel to the vault floor and the used notes that ended up betraying the thieves. Characters, bank, investigation details and outcome are fiction.

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