Felipe Neto loses lawsuit against Nando Moura regarding the disclosure of bets.

The court acquitted YouTuber Nando Moura in the criminal case for slander and defamation brought by Felipe Neto. The sentence was handed down on Tuesday (January 30), ending the legal dispute that began in July 2023. The judge considered that Nando's criticisms of Felipe Neto's promotion of betting to a predominantly young audience were pertinent.

The lawsuit was motivated by YouTube videos and Twitter posts made by Nando Moura in 2023, in which he called Felipe Neto a "decorated bandit," "biggest liar," and "opportunist," among other terms. According to information from columnist Fábia Oliveira of Metrópoles, the defeat in court was considered "bitter" for Felipe Neto, who saw his accusations rejected by the court.

Context of the legal dispute

In the lawsuit, Felipe Neto accused Nando Moura of directly offending him and claiming that he promoted gambling and illegal websites to children and teenagers. Furthermore, he alleged that the defendant disseminated false information and harmed third parties.

The judge explained in his decision that Nando's "outrage" stemmed essentially from the fact that Felipe Neto made posts sponsored by betting companies while maintaining an audience composed mostly of minors. Nando Moura's defense argued that his statements were part of a context of criticism of the YouTuber's behavior, mainly due to the advertising of betting to an audience largely made up of minors.

Acknowledgment of criticism

In the ruling, the judge highlighted that Felipe Neto himself acknowledged the relevance of the criticism. After initiating the legal process, the influencer published a video on YouTube stating that he would no longer promote online casinos , mentioning the young age of his audience as one of the reasons for this change.

A central point of the decision was the discussion about the advertising contracts that Felipe Neto maintained with companies in the betting sector. The judge emphasized that this criticism was considered pertinent, given the impact of betting on the financial and emotional health of young people, such as the risk of addiction, debt, and family problems.

History of conflicts between YouTubers

The judge noted that both parties already had an extremely conflictive relationship before the lawsuit. In his ruling, he pointed out that Felipe Neto had called Nando a "shameless liar" and a "vermin" on previous occasions.

The judge stated that someone who attacks an enemy with rudeness cannot portray themselves as a victim when receiving similar treatment. He further emphasized that the criminal protection of honor should not be used opportunistically by those who contribute to an environment of hostility and mutual offenses.

Although he acquitted Nando Moura, the judge criticized the behavior of both, stating that the criminal protection of honor should not serve as an opportunistic instrument for those who actively contribute to a scenario of mutual offenses. The case is likely to have repercussions beyond the personal dispute, reinforcing the need for influencers with a large reach among minors to carefully evaluate advertising contracts involving gambling.

The ruling does not mention whether either party intends to appeal the decision.