The São Paulo Public Prosecutor's Office has seized significant amounts of currency and cryptocurrency as part of an ongoing investigation into corruption within the state's tax authority.
The São Paulo Public Prosecutor's Office (MP-SP) has intensified its anti-corruption efforts by apprehending around US $68,000 (approximately R$354,000) and R$288,000 in cash from the Regional Tax Delegation in Butantã, situated in the west zone of the capital. This unit operates under the Sefaz-SP (Department of Finance of the State of São Paulo), which is responsible for the oversight, collection, and management of state taxes such as ICMS, IPVA, and ITCMD in its jurisdiction. The latest operations aim to address allegations surrounding the improper release and inflation of tax credits within the agency.
The search and seizure orders executed by investigators from the Special Group for the Repression of Economic Crimes (Gedec) are part of a new phase of Operation Ícaro, which targets a purported corruption scheme linked to inflated tax credits of ICMS within Sefaz-SP. Alongside the significant cash seizures, authorities also blocked cryptocurrency assets worth approximately R$1.8 million held in bitcoins. These digital assets are set to undergo forensic examination and financial analysis to ascertain their origins and any connections to the ongoing corruption investigation.
This operation highlights the MP-SP's commitment to tackling corruption in tax administration, a critical issue affecting public trust and financial integrity in Brazil. The investigation's findings could have far-reaching implications for the governance of public funds and the integrity of tax administration in the state of São Paulo, potentially leading to further reforms and accountability mechanisms within the Sefaz-SP.
