Operation examines suspected ICMS tax evasion and money laundering scheme; investigation does not involve the Coelho Diniz supermarket chain nor the Pão de Açúcar Group
An operation carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Minas Gerais (MP-MG), with support from the State Tax Authority and the Civil and Military Police, is investigating an alleged tax fraud scheme that may have caused losses exceeding R$ 215 million to public coffers. The action, named Operation Ambiente 186, executed search and seizure warrants at addresses connected to companies owned by entrepreneurs from the Diniz family in Minas Gerais. The operation has no relation to the Coelho Diniz supermarket chain, which operates in the food retail sector.
According to official information released by MP-MG and confirmed by outlets such as VEJA, InvestNews, O Fator and Portal Gerais, investigators are examining possible ICMS tax evasion, document forgery, money laundering and irregular financial transactions. Authorities state that the scheme may have involved the use of shell companies, known locally as “noteiras”, which allegedly issued fraudulent invoices to artificially reduce the amount of tax owed.
Among the individuals targeted by the operation is advertising executive Marcos Valério Fernandes de Souza, who was convicted in the Mensalão corruption case. His role in the alleged scheme is still under investigation, but MP-MG has confirmed that he is among those being scrutinised, as widely reported by the press.
In a statement sent to the media, representatives of the Diniz family stressed that the Coelho Diniz supermarket network and the family’s investments in the Pão de Açúcar Group (GPA) are not subjects of the investigation, emphasising that the food retail businesses are not part of the operation’s scope. Official communications from MP-MG, the Tax Authority and the police forces made no mention of the supermarket group or GPA.
The operation resulted in a judicial order to freeze assets valued at more than R$ 476 million, an amount estimated to secure potential compensation to the state should the allegations be confirmed. Documents, computers, mobile phones and digital storage devices were seized for analysis.
MP-MG stated that the investigation remains confidential and that no liability has been assigned at this stage, underscoring that conclusions will only be drawn after a full technical evaluation of the collected material.
Operation Ambiente 186 represents another step in the state’s ongoing efforts to combat organisations specialising in tax fraud, reinforcing authorities’ focus on parallel corporate structures used to circumvent the tax system.
