According to prosecutor Biscaia, the illicit organisation was a true Brazilian Mafia (he used the expression mfia tupiniquim).[12] The bicheiros built an association with the principal goal to corrupt authorities and police and the elimination of 130 people. The superintendent of this association was Castor de Andrade.[15] They were sentenced to six years each, the maximum sentence for racketeering. The sentence, however, was modified by the Supreme Federal Court (STF), which reduced the penalty by half. Through appeals, lawyers managed to exclude the offence of formation of an armed gang.[13] In December 1996 they were all back on the streets, granted parole or clemency.