The project that promised to transform Old properties in renovated houses In Italy, the project became the target of an investigation by Italian authorities following complaints from Brazilian buyers who claim to have suffered financial losses, repeated charges, and the halting of construction.
The investigation was revealed by the UOL portal, which interviewed victims, local authorities, and representatives linked to the project. According to the report, the Lucca Prosecutor's Office is investigating suspicions related to the use of tax credits from the program. Super bonus 110%.
While customers claim to have lost their life savings, the company maintains that the difficulties stemmed from a crisis that affected the entire Italian construction sector.
Buyers report charges and losses.
Among those interviewed is a Brazilian lawyer who preferred not to be identified. He states that he decided to invest because he knew one of the people responsible for the project.
“I never imagined they would scam friends. My husband had known Douglas for about 15 years. That's why I decided to invest, even though I felt something wasn't right.”
According to him, the property was acquired in 2021 for 10.000 euros, in a contract that included the purchase, fees, and renovation management through Superbonus.
Over time, however, new demands began to emerge.
"There was supposed to be nothing more to pay, but the renovations weren't starting and the charges kept coming. When I refused to pay more, they threatened to sell my share. I revoked the power of attorney and considered the investment lost."
Another buyer, a sales manager in the fashion industry, says she invested her retirement money believing she would fulfill her dream of owning a home in Italy.
“I believed it. It seemed like a dream. I spent my retirement savings. It turned into a nightmare. I suffered burnout and I'm still paying off the debts to this day.”
She reports that she received repeated demands for payment without any progress on the works and, later, even received a demand for hundreds of thousands of euros to continue the project.
“I had burnout. I already knew nothing was going to happen. They were asking for more money, charging me condominium fees for ruins, it didn't make sense.”
Lawyer reports confrontation with those responsible for the project.
The Italian lawyer Andrea Merlo It began representing some buyers after the emergence of problems.
According to him, an attempt to resolve the situation directly with those responsible ended in a tense encounter.
"The two of them came to my office, and Da Lio arrived in an aggressive, arrogant manner. It seemed like an interrogation."
Merlo states that he questioned Alberto Da Lio about documents related to the construction projects.
“We asked him if he knew about it, and he replied, ‘Of course I do.’ Since he’s the construction manager, we questioned who had done the…” sworn Regarding the invoices, he replied calmly, "Me. What's the problem?"
According to the lawyer, the invoices mentioned referred to works that, according to the clients, had not been carried out.
Mayor says residents witnessed the buyers' ordeal.
The impact of the case was also felt in Vergemoli factories, a small town in Tuscany where several properties were sold.
Mayor Michele Giannini stated that he received numerous Brazilian buyers seeking assistance.
"So many people came here crying."
According to the mayor, some families sold assets in Brazil to invest in moving to Italy.
"Some people sold their homes to have a future here. People with children. Some went back to Brazil."
Commenting on the case, Giannini made an appeal for similar situations not to remain hidden.
"More than fearing them, one should fear the silence."
what the company says
Contacted by UOL reporters, the Dream.it He stated that the work stoppage was due to a "systemic crisis" affecting the Italian construction sector and indicated that he remains available to the authorities to provide clarifications.
Attorney Federica Antonacci, representing Alberto Da Lio, stated that her client would not comment on the accusations. According to UOL News, Douglas Roque did not respond to questions submitted by the reporter.
Investigation continues
The Lucca Prosecutor's Office continues to investigate the case. According to UOL, five people are under investigation and approximately 4 million euros in assets have been frozen during the investigations. To date, there is no definitive court decision regarding the potential liability of those involved.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM COMPANIES
Sonho.it clarifies that it is not the target of the investigation conducted by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Lucca, Italy. The company operates exclusively in the sale of real estate, with the technical projects and execution of the works being the responsibility of Mole Aquae Architettura, which has presented all the requested documentation and clarifications to the Italian authorities.
All transactions were carried out through contracts duly signed between the parties, in accordance with Italian law and the rules of the Superbonus program. During its validity, the program underwent successive legislative changes, including restrictions on the assignment of credits, which impacted projects throughout Italy.
The works are not halted and can be resumed by the owners using their own resources, as stipulated in the contract.
Sonho.it emphasizes that it has never sold properties known as "1 euro houses". All projects had the authorizations required by the Italian authorities, and the obligations and responsibilities of the owners, including those of a tax nature, were always expressly stipulated in the contract.
The company further clarifies that, of the 10 million euros initially frozen by the Italian courts, 6 million have already been released. The expectation is that the remaining 4 million euros will also be released after the completion of the ongoing analyses.
Sonho.it and Mole Aquae Architettura continue to operate normally, providing support to clients and fully cooperating with Italian authorities to fully clarify the facts.
Update: On July 8, 2026, this article was updated to include the companies' position, submitted through their communications department.
Patricia
7 July 2026 22 at: 06
When I heard about this program, I even considered selling my apartment to invest, but fear took over, and I gave up. Thank God.
Aeneas Lourenco Pereira
8 July 2026 12 at: 13
People left Brazil only to be robbed in Italy, bunch of thieves!
Aeneas Lourenco Pereira
8 July 2026 12 at: 14
Europeans, almost without exception, dislike South Americans!
Dora Albert
8 July 2026 13 at: 27
They are blocking the project and asking for more money only from Brazilians!?
You need to see this, instead of giving government subsidies to help rebuild the country and popularize it!? Come on, people! In Brazil, you pay for a new house, and you receive government aid to renovate. That's not valuing your country!
The subsidy. Here you pay for renovations on these houses in this state!? And you still do this!??? And why are the bidding processes so easily open to Brazilians, even tourists can buy, you know!? Read! I was about to get my CPF (Brazilian tax ID) to buy! But I remembered my law professor, he says: People lose a lot by not reading things, you know!? I decided to read a little more about the situation, bidding processes, where to register, where to go, etc.:
I find myself here amidst several negative accounts.
Very easy to buy!!!
As they say in Brazil: when the alms are too much, the saint becomes suspicious…
The best place to live and invest is my country! I'll continue with my gardening business there, invest, and be happy there.
I'm not seeing anything easy here!
Only cities are experiencing a decrease in the young population and an increase in the elderly population.
If they continue like this in a few years, they'll have to give it away for free, and even Brazilians won't want to live here anymore.
Too much exploitation.
I'm returning with even more pride in my Brazil.
Henry Pinto
9 July 2026 07 at: 53
And scams are everywhere, only a fool believes the promises that in other countries, there is sincerity even among scammers.
Sandra Gimenes
9 July 2026 13 at: 27
My late mother used to say that when the alms are too generous, even the saint gets suspicious…
I would add: Even more so when it's a foreign saint...Madonna mia!
Mia madre, buonanima, diceva semper che when l'elemosina is generous, the saint is insospettisce...
I'll tell you: I'm glad if it's a strange saint... *Madonna mia!*
Adalberto
10 July 2026 03 at: 01
Just contact the PCC, agree on a price, split it among a group. They'll sweep everything clean and take care of it. They'll do what the state gang doesn't do.
Penca
11 July 2026 11 at: 12
The problem is that there's so much corruption and trickery in Brazil that foreigners no longer trust the country.