The Brazilian TV channel SBT has been ordered by the court to pay over $60,000 to saleswoman Vania de Souza, winner of a gospel music contest organized by the network in 2011.
Vania de Souza never received the $800 prize for winning the 2011 gospel music contest from the Brazilian TV channel SBT. The court ordered the network to pay her more than $60,000.
Vania only received a giant symbolic check from one of the judges. The real check was canceled. She was also supposed to record a gospel music CD, but that never happened.
“It was the fulfillment of a dream,” the saleswoman told the court. “But that dream was interrupted by false promises,” she continued.
According to the lawsuit filed against TV channel SBT and Support Congressos, the network’s partner in the contest, Vania quit her job believing in the success of her future music career.
In its defense, SBT told the court that the responsibility for the recording was Support Congressos’ and expressed solidarity with Vania. The network also said it offered the prize money, but was unable to locate the plaintiff.
Support Congressos claims that the winner had already recorded a CD previously, which would have violated the contest rules. The company states that it followed the TV channel’s instructions to pay Vania, but she did not show up.
SBT and Support have been ordered to jointly pay the compensation and can still file new appeals.
+Watch the moment Vania wins the contest
Photos: Reprodução SBT. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
