A 25-year-old Brazilian national living on Reilly Avenue in Dublin 8 has been sent forward for trial on charges of money laundering, with prosecutors alleging she controlled finances totalling over €737,000 as part of an international organised prostitution network.
Bruna da Silveira appeared at Dublin District Court this week, where a 450-page book of evidence was formally served on her by gardaí. Judge Treasa Kelly noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that da Silveira face trial on indictment, and she was returned for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where her case will next be listed on March 26th .
The young woman is one of four Brazilian nationals charged in connection with what investigators allege is a sophisticated criminal operation that trafficked 29 vulnerable young women from Brazil to Ireland. The women were allegedly coerced into sex work across a network of 10 brothels located primarily in Dublin 1, 4, 7, and 8 .
The Allegations
Detective Sergeant Alan Lynch of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) alleges that da Silveira played a central role in the organisation’s financial operations. Contrary to initial characterisations, investigators claim she was not merely an escort but was actively “controlling finances for this criminal entity” .
The charges relate to three specific counts of money laundering, with the alleged proceeds totalling €737,000 accumulated between March 2024 and September 2025 . This represents the second-highest sum among the four accused, after alleged ringleader Vanuti Conrado Skierzynski (35), who faces allegations involving €1.6 million .
According to evidence heard at previous bail hearings, the organisation allegedly used the Ireland-UK Common Travel Area to bring women into the Republic via Belfast, deliberately avoiding immigration checkpoints. Once in Ireland, the women were placed in leased properties across Dublin, with their activities managed through a WhatsApp group that issued instructions on client interactions, room cleanliness, and ensuring customers never crossed paths .
‘She May Well Be a Victim’ – Defence Argument
The case has raised complex questions about da Silveira’s own status. During earlier bail proceedings in September 2025, defence barrister Luke O’Higgins BL submitted that his client, who told gardaí she worked as an escort, “may well be a victim in all this” .
The defence suggested da Silveira could herself be a victim of human trafficking, a submission that Detective Sergeant Lynch acknowledged would require a separate investigation to establish. Lynch noted that despite numerous interview opportunities, da Silveira had not made such claims to gardaí .
The court previously heard that da Silveira has no legal status in Ireland that would permit legitimate employment. Gardaí opposed bail on the grounds that she presented a significant flight risk, noting that Ireland has no extradition treaty with Brazil and alleging that the organisation has access to “high quality” false travel documents .
The Broader Investigation
The investigation represents one of the largest operations of its kind in recent years, involving 60 gardaí alongside Europol and the Brazilian Federal Police. Officers collected 914 exhibits, including multiple electronic devices and substantial quantities of cash .
The three co-accused men face additional, more extensive charges. Skierzynski (35) and Renato Gomes da Silva (33), both formerly of Capel Street, and Gabriel do Nascimento (26), of Parnell Street, are charged with brothel-keeping and organised prostitution alongside money laundering .
Judge Gerard Jones, who refused bail to all four defendants in September, described the 29 women allegedly trafficked as having been subjected to “severe and horrible abuses” with their lives “taken apart for the satisfaction and monetary gain of other people” .
What Happens Next
Da Silveira has not yet entered a plea. She has been warned to inform the prosecution within 14 days if she intends to rely on an alibi defence. Her solicitor, Michael French, has indicated she intends to bring a bail application at her next appearance .
The case has been adjourned to March 26th at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the 25-year-old Reilly Avenue resident will face the next stage of proceedings.
All four defendants remain in custody, having been refused bail on multiple occasions. They are assisted in court by Portuguese interpreters and have been granted legal aid .
