Public Prosecutor's Office targets businessmen linked to Refit for R$ 5.5 tax fraud

The Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor's Office (MPRJ) executed, on Wednesday morning (11), 17 arrest warrants against suspects involved in a tax fraud scheme totaling R$ 5.5 billion in the state. The targets are businessmen linked to the Manguinhos Refinery (Refit), in the north zone of the state capital. As of publication, ten people had already been arrested. According to the MPRJ, 19 search and seizure warrants were also executed. The operations, authorized by the 2nd Specialized Court of the Capital District, were carried out in the city of Rio de Janeiro and in the state of São Paulo. Among the targets of the warrants are Ricardo Andrade Magro, the company's controller, his parents, a grandfather, and an uncle. Also targeted were an alternate federal deputy and a Formula Truck driver. The investigation by the Rio prosecutor's office is looking into tax crimes allegedly committed by the Manguinhos Refinery and by the distributors Flagler, Fera, Direcional, World Comércio, Phaenarete, Vaishia, and 76 Oil. According to the MPRJ, the companies allegedly evaded approximately R$ 5.5 billion in state taxes. According to prosecutors, Refit controlled all the companies involved in the oil refining production chain, which includes the importation of petroleum derivatives, the production of gasoline, and the sale of fuel to distributors, which are responsible for supplying gas stations. With this structure, it would have been possible to commit successive tax frauds, from the acquisition of raw materials to the sale of the product to the final consumer. According to the MPRJ, Ricardo Andrade Magro, who is a fugitive abroad, placed trusted people on the boards of the companies involved and, through this, maintained control over them. Agência Brasil is trying to contact the businessman's defense.