Carlos Wanzeler, a fugitive in the United States, took the stand last Thursday in Brazil to defend himself against charges stemming from the TelexFree VOIP case. Brazilian authorities filed criminal charges against TelexFree and its owners, Wanzeler and Carlos Costa, in January 2015. This action followed a 2013 investigation into the legality of the company's VOIP offerings.

The trial is currently underway in the Federal Criminal Court of Victoria. Wanzeler told the court that he and the other TelexFree founders "just wanted to be a telephone company in Brazil." Federal prosecutors, however, contend that TelexFree's Brazilian subsidiary, Ympactus, operated without authorization from the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel).

Wanzeler maintains that TelexFree's VOIP service was not illegal. He stated that Anatel had indicated no issues with the company's operations at its inception. Carlos Costa, who has already testified, continues to shift blame for any irregularities with Ympactus's VOIP service to TelexFree in the United States. This is notable given that Wanzeler, Costa, and James Merrill were also owners of Ympactus.

The four-hour hearing concluded without a verdict. The judge has granted ten days for the Federal Public Ministry and the defense to submit final arguments. A ruling is expected after these submissions are made. Beyond telecommunications fraud, Wanzeler faces investigation for financial crimes. These include allegations of money laundering, tax evasion, embezzlement, and other offenses.