He physically invaded the presidential office with allies, trying to remove the sitting interim president by force.
Augusto Melo led an invasion of the club's presidency office on May 31, 2025, attempting to reverse his removal and reassert control in what many viewed as a coup attempt. The expulsion follows Melo's August 2025 impeachment by club members, driven by the VaideBet corruption scandal involving alleged money laundering and embezzlement during his tenure.
- 147 council members voted to expel Melo; 5 opposed; 4 abstained
- May 31, 2025 invasion of presidential office at Parque São Jorge
- Debt rose from R$1.9 billion to R$2.5 billion during Melo's 17-month tenure
- August 2025 impeachment vote: 1,413 members for removal, 620 against
- Melo ineligible for any club leadership position for 10 years
Corinthians' council voted 147-5 to expel ex-president Augusto Melo from membership following his May 2025 attempted takeover of the club, with four others facing similar sanctions.
On Monday, June 1st, the Corinthians council voted to expel Augusto Melo from the club's membership rolls. The decision came by a decisive margin: 147 council members voted in favor of expulsion, five opposed, and four abstained. Melo, who had served as the club's president from January 2024 until May 2025, was judged for his role in an invasion of the presidential office at the club's headquarters in the Parque São Jorge on May 31st of the previous year.
That May 31st incident had the character of a coup attempt. Melo and his allies stormed into the presidential suite with the intention of removing Osmar Stabile, who was serving as interim president, and reinstating Melo to power. On the same day, Maria Angela Ocampos, the first secretary of the Deliberative Council, declared herself president of that body—a position previously held by Romeu Tuma Júnior—and used that claimed authority to nullify Melo's earlier removal and restore him to the directorship. Both Tuma Júnior and Stabile rejected these actions as illegitimate. The legal advisor to the interim administration filed a police report that same day, citing illegal coercion, unlawful imprisonment, threats, insult, and tumult.
Four other officials now face potential expulsion for their involvement in the invasion: Ocampos herself, Mario Mello Junior from the Ethics Commission, Paulo Juricic who formerly served on that commission, and Ronaldo Fernandez Tomé, a current Ethics Commission member. The council's June 1st session took place against the backdrop of organized protest. Outside the Parque São Jorge, Corinthians supporters gathered to voice their opposition to Melo. The Gaviões da Fiel, the club's largest organized supporter group, had mobilized supporters in the days leading up to the vote, calling on council members to act decisively.
Melo's expulsion represents the final chapter in a longer reckoning with his presidency. In August 2025, club members had already voted to remove him from office permanently—1,413 members voted for his removal while 620 opposed it—and rendered him ineligible to hold any leadership position for ten years. That impeachment process centered on the VaideBet scandal, a corruption case that implicated Melo and other club officials in alleged money laundering, embezzlement, and criminal association. The scandal centered on Alex Cassundé, an intermediary in the VaideBet sponsorship deal, and Melo faced criticism for failing to act on internal complaints and media reports about the arrangement.
During his seventeen months in charge, Melo's tenure was defined by aggressive spending and mounting debt. The club signed twenty-one players during his time as president, yet the organization's financial position deteriorated sharply. When Melo took office, Corinthians carried a debt of 1.9 billion reais; by the time he left, that figure had climbed to 2.5 billion reais. The club cycled through four different head coaches—Mano Menezes, António Oliveira, Ramón Díaz, and Dorival Júnior—in search of stability. On the field, the most significant achievement was winning the 2025 São Paulo State Championship against Palmeiras. In the 2024 Brazilian Championship, the team spent much of the season fighting relegation before recovering late to secure a spot in the Copa Libertadores, though they were eliminated in the third round by Barcelona of Ecuador.
With Melo now expelled from membership and facing criminal charges, the council's vote closes one door while others remain open. Four of his associates await their own expulsion hearings, and Melo himself remains barred from any future role in club leadership for a decade.
Citações Notáveis
Both Romeu Tuma Júnior and Osmar Stabile rejected the actions as illegitimate— Council leadership response to the May 31st invasion
The Justice Commission and advisory council stated there was no statutory basis for the measures adopted by Melo and Ocampos— Official club governance bodies, June 2025
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
What made May 31st feel like a coup attempt rather than just a disagreement between administrators?
Because Melo didn't work through the council or the normal channels. He physically invaded the presidential office with allies, tried to remove the sitting interim president by force, and had someone declare herself head of the council without proper procedure. It was the method—the breach, the speed, the use of bodies in a room—that made it look like a takeover.
Why did Maria Angela Ocampos think she had the authority to make those declarations?
She claimed the Ethics Commission had filed a request to remove Romeu Tuma Júnior from his council position, and that since the first vice-president was on medical leave, she would be next in line. But the Justice Commission and the advisory council both said there was no statutory basis for any of it. Tuma Júnior was never even notified of a removal.
So the VaideBet scandal was the real reason Melo lost power?
It was the stated reason for the August impeachment vote, yes. The scandal involved alleged money laundering and embezzlement tied to a sponsorship deal. Melo was accused of ignoring internal warnings and media reports about the intermediary handling the contract. But the May invasion—that was the flashpoint that broke things open.
Did the supporters actually want him gone, or were they just following the organized groups?
The Gaviões da Fiel mobilized people, but the vote was overwhelming—147 to 5. That's not manufactured consent. The supporters showed up because they were angry about the invasion, the corruption, the debt climbing from 1.9 to 2.5 billion reais, the constant coaching changes. The organized groups gave them a moment to express what was already there.
What happens to the four others facing expulsion?
They go through the same process Melo did. But the council has already shown its hand with a 147-5 vote. The message is clear about what the membership thinks of the May 31st invasion and everyone involved in it.