Prosecutors Charge Hotel Worker in Alleged Rape of U.S. Guest in São Paulo

Overview

• The alleged assault occurred on September 27, 2024, at the Blue Tree Paulista, with security footage indicating the employee remained in the guest’s room for about nine minutes.
• Forensic exams by the Instituto Médico Legal reported sperm in vaginal and anal samples and documented minor injuries on the woman’s arms and leg.
• Witness statements in the case file say hotel staff refused to call police and tried to interfere when officers arrived, a claim the hotel disputes as it asserts full cooperation.
• The 19-year-old defendant denies criminal liability, with his lawyers asserting the encounter was consensual and pointing to alleged contradictions in testimony.
• The hotel says the employee was dismissed shortly after the incident, and the victim’s lawyer is preparing a civil claim seeking roughly $150,000 in damages.