SEF announced in a statement that the investigation began in 2016 and that the defendant was exclusively dedicated "to assisting the irregular entry, stay and transit of foreign citizens in the national territory", namely minors from Congo, Senegal, Gambia and Mali.

“He received prior and detailed information about the arrival of these foreigners at Lisbon International Airport and went there whenever SEF refused them entry into Portugal because they were carrying false or other people's documents. The lawyer approached them and then filed asylum requests on their behalf, so that they could enter and stay in the country”, the statement reads.

SEF also mentioned that the 42-year-old lawyer, resident in the metropolitan area of ​​Lisbon, acted “always in exchange for money” and received between 1,000 and 1,700 euros for each asylum request, having been the agent in more than a hundred requests.