Paulo Abreu dos Santos, the former aide to ex-Minister of Justice Catarina Sarmento e Castro, allegedly abused at least two Portuguese children aged only 10 years.
The Judicial Police, responsible for the case and who detained the man on Friday, December 12, are now attempting to identify the two minors to hear them as victims in the process.
This information was disclosed as CNN Portugal initially reported his detention, claiming that Paulo Abreu dos Santos confessed to the crimes in front of the judge who imposed the preventive detention measure.
During the search of the suspect’s house, authorities found 500 international files of child pornography content, featuring children aged 4 to 14 being abused. Additionally, the lawyer filmed himself with a mobile phone while abusing children.
The exact number of minors affected by these crimes committed by Paulo Abreu dos Santos is not yet known, but it is now understood that at least two of them are Portuguese.
Some of the sexual offenses, particularly regarding access and sharing of such content, were reportedly conducted from the Ministry of Justice using his own computer. Paulo Abreu dos Santos, 38, served in this capacity from 2023 to 2024.
The investigation believes the lawyer may be linked to a network with branches, and thus seeks access to the personal phone of the former aide to determine if he has contacts with other pedophiles operating in Portuguese society.
The former aide was initially mentioned in an international investigation originating in the United States, which monitored sexual crimes against minors on Signal and Telegram. It was through this lead that Portuguese authorities advanced their investigation regarding Paulo Abreu dos Santos.
According to his resume in the Diário da República, Paulo Jorge Abreu dos Santos holds a law degree and worked professionally as a lawyer and consultant, particularly in corporate and commercial litigation, insolvency, and arbitration.
The ex-aide worked at the law firm Ana Bruno & Associados, which expressed “surprise” over the news, and he was also a visiting assistant at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon.
Carolina Pereira Soares with Lusa | 21:01 – 13/12/2025
