Tio Patinhas

Ângelo Maria Longa (December 12, 1909 – March 16, 1986), popularly known as Tio Patinhas ("Scrooge McDuck" in Brazil), was an illegal lottery operator in the widely popular jogo do bicho (the animal game) in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the wealthiest and most influential bicheiros ^{[nb 1]} and contraventores^{[nb 2]} of the city of Rio de Janeiro during the 1970s and 1980s.^[3][4]

Tio Patinhas
Born	Ângelo Maria Longa December 12, 1909
Died	March 16, 1986 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Occupation	Illegal lottery operator
Known for	Involvement in Jogo do Bicho
Criminal charge	Involvement in illegal lottery operations

Tio Patinhas operated numerous pontos (points-of-sale betting) across Rio's South Zone, Downtown, Vila Isabel, and Tijuca neighborhoods.^[3][4] He played a central role in the hierarchical structure of the jogo do bicho, particularly as a key figure in the “cúpula do jogo do bicho”, a mafia-style organization created to stabilize and professionalize the illegal lottery system and to reduce conflicts between bicheiros.^[5][6][7][8] Tio Patinhas was also known for his role as a "descarga," a financial bicheiro who ensured the payment of large prizes, acting as a safety net for smaller operators.^[9][10]

He was also known for his partnerships with other bicheiros, such as Miro Garcia,^[11] and mentored new bicheiros, such as Capitão Guimarães.^[12][13]

Biography

Early life and personal life

Longa was born in Rio de Janeiro around 1910. He was married to Marina Donato Longa, with whom he had a son, Pedro Sebastião Longa.^[8][14][15] He also had relationships with Maria Cenira and Altair Dias. He lived with Altair for 40 years despite his formal marriage to Marina and raised Iara, Altair's daughter, as his own daughter.^[8][14]

His nickname, Tio Patinhas, was inspired by the Disney character Scrooge McDuck due to his reputation for being miserly and distrustful.^[16][17] Like the fictional character, Tio Patinhas was known for hoarding large sums of money, keeping stacks of cash in a safe at his home instead of trusting banks.^[16][17] Despite his wealth, he lived a modest and discreet life, avoiding public displays of extravagance.^[3][16]

In February 1975, Tio Patinhas was kidnapped and released after three days under mysterious circumstances.^[18][19][20]

He died on March 16, 1986, at the age of 76, from cancer.^[3][14]

Career in the Jogo do Bicho

Tio Patinhas was involved in the jogo do bicho for nearly 50 years.^[3] His most significant and long-standing partnership was with Waldemiro Garcia, known as Miro Garcia, with whom he operated numerous betting points in Rio's South Zone and Downtown.^{[11][18][21][22]} He also collaborated with Haroldo Rodrigues Nunes, known as Haroldo Saens Peña, in the North Zone.^[23]

In the 1970s, Tio Patinhas mentored emerging bicheiros, including Aílton Guimarães Jorge, known as Capitão Guimarães, who later became a prominent figure in the gambling world.^[12][13] In 1979, Tio Patinhas transferred several betting points in Niterói, São Gonçalo, and Itaboraí to Capitão Guimarães, which had previously belonged to Agostinho Lopes da Silva Júnior, known as Guto, a bicheiro who mysteriously disappeared after falling into debt with Tio Patinhas.^{[10][24][25][26]}

Tio Patinhas was one of the wealthiest bicheiros in Rio during the 1970s^[3][27] and a founding member of the gambling mafia-style group called “cúpula do jogo do bicho”, a coalition of approximately 180 bicheiros established in 1974.^[5] This organization aimed to reduce conflicts among bicheiros and bring greater stability and professionalism to the illegal lottery.^[28][29][30] He was regarded as one of the two top bosses of the “cúpula”, alongside Castor de Andrade, who was seen as the political leader of the group, while Tio Patinhas was the “financial mentor” of the cúpula.^{[5][31][32][33]} As the wealthiest bicheiros in the group, Tio Patinhas served as the "descarga," ensuring the payment of large prizes and preventing smaller operators from going bankrupt.^{[9][10][22][34]}

In addition to his gambling activities, Tio Patinhas was involved in smuggling^[35] and diversified his investments into real estate and horse breeding.^[36][37] Despite the rise of other powerful bicheiros like Haroldo Saens Peña and Anisio Abraão David in the 1980s, Tio Patinhas maintained his influence until his death in 1986.^[6][7] AT the time of his death, he controlled between 250 and 800 betting pontos, employing around 4,000 people.^[8][14][38]

Legacy

After his death, Tio Patinhas' fortune and betting operations were inherited by his longtime partner Miro Garcia and Miro's son, Waldemir Paes Garcia, known as Maninho, who had worked closely with Tio Patinhas.^{[39][40][41][42]}