#12: The Red Light Bandit: Crime, Dictatorship, and Silence

In pitch black, the eerie red beam of a flashlight meant one thing: he was already inside.

In this episode, we examine the true story of João Acácio Pereira da Costa — the man who would become known across Brazil as the Red Light Bandit. Set against the backdrop of 1960s São Paulo and Baixada Santista, this episode explores how social inequality, urban migration, and post-coup authoritarianism shaped both the city and the criminals it produced. João Acácio didn’t emerge in a vacuum. His actions — a string of high-profile robberies that terrified the public and embarrassed the police — reflected deeper fractures in Brazilian society. 

We trace João Acácio’s early years, his crimes, and the media storm that followed. What made him stand out wasn’t just the volume of his robberies, but the way the press mythologized him in a Brazil gripped by fear and fascination. 

Whether you're a true crime fan or someone interested in the social history of Brazil, this episode offers a detailed, fact-based look at one of the country's most talked-about criminals. 

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