Santa Claus jailed for sexually abusing girl and forcing her to watch porn
WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT: The predator – dressed as Father Christmas – was found guilty of abusing a young girl after being arrested at a grotto in a shopping centre in Brazil
The santa was arrested at work(Image: NX)
A Santa Claus arrested in a grotto has been jailed for 16 years for sexually abusing a child and forcing the young girl to watch porn.
Investigators found that the abuse happened on more than one occasion and that the victim had been made to watch sex acts performed in porn films. The 67-year-old, who has not been named, was seen being led away in handcuffs by police while still dressed as Father Christmas.
Police swooped on the grotto where he worked in the city of Lages, in the Serra region of Santa Catarina state, Brazil, following an investigation into abuse allegations.
They had investigated several evidence trails and the man was sentenced by the 2nd Criminal Court of Lages to 16 years, eight months and 20 days in a closed prison. He was found guilty of the rape of a vulnerable person, a term used in Brazil for sexual crimes involving children under 14.
Police swooped on his grotto(Image: NX)
He was arrested on 27th November 2025 while working as Santa Claus during Lages Shopping Centre’s Christmas programme. Footage has since shown him being led away through the shopping centre in handcuffs.
Police said the crimes did not take place inside the shopping complex, but the arrest was carried out there after the Public Prosecutor’s Office filed a complaint and the Civil Police investigation identified the suspect.
He was seen being led away in handcuffs(Image: NX)
The Child, Adolescent, Women and Elderly Protection Police Division carried out the arrest under a preventive detention order and transferred him to the prison system. The suspect’s identity was not released and the case remains under judicial secrecy.
During the judicial proceedings, investigators also discovered that a close relative of the victim had been abusing the child since 2024.
That relative was tried within the same criminal lawsuit, was also convicted and received a sentence of 23 years and four months in prison. The court denied both convicted men the right to appeal while remaining free.
The shopping centre said after the arrest that it had ended its contract with the Santa Claus performer and expressed its “absolute repudiation of any conduct that compromises the safety of its customers.”
