Author: Communication Advisory

Source: Secretaria da Fazenda - SP - - NEWS - 23/07/2009

A task force from the São Paulo Finance Department and the State Prosecutor's Office dawned on Thursday (23/7) on 23 targets suspected of involvement in money laundering by criminal organizations. There are 12 gas stations, 9 accounting offices and 2 former partners of the suspicious companies. The operation, coordinated by the Secretariat of Finance and the Special Group to Combat Economic Crimes (Gedec), of the MP, had the participation of promoters of the Special Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco). About 80 tax agents were assigned to the action.

Although the focus of the operation is the collection of evidence of white collar crimes, the Treasury will also investigate possible tax and accounting fraud, as well as adulteration of fuels. Two technicians from the São Paulo tax authorities followed the steps in order to collect fuel samples.

All seized material - documents, books and fuel samples - will be examined by the Farm. It is estimated that the audit work will take at least six months. Tax agents will go after elements to reinforce the existing evidence against a gang that is being investigated by the Public Ministry. According to the investigations, the criminals sell adulterated fuels at several retail outlets in Greater São Paulo, bought by the gang with money obtained from fraud at ATMs and cloning of magnetic cards.

23/07/2009

Communication Department of the Finance Secretariat