Da Silva Neto was sentenced to 88 years in prison by the Brazilian Justice. His wife, Fabricia Farias Campos, received more than 60 years in jail.
The pair are accused of running a pyramid scheme that affected 15,000 people. They were arrested in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Thursday. They entered the country on January 28 with false identity but genuine documentation, since their passports had been lent to them by relatives. The case is part of a larger case that includes 10 people linked to the scam.