Brazil Police Disrupt CV Money‑Laundering Scheme in Rio and Mato Grosso

State prosecutors from Rio de Janeiro and Mato Grosso do Sul carried out Operation Riqueza Sombria, executing 18 search and seizure warrants to dismantle a criminal network that laundered money for the Comando Vermelho (CV) gang. The investigation, led by the GAESCO unit of the Rio public ministry, traced more than R$ 116 million moved between 2020 and 2025.

Bank‑account analysis showed a pattern of small, fragmented deposits (“smurfing”) in branches near CV‑controlled territories, especially the Chapadão Complex in Rio’s north zone. The funds were routed to individuals and shell companies in Sete Quedas, Mato Grosso do Sul, a town on the Paraguayan border that serves as a strategic point for the inflow of arms, cocaine and marijuana. After collection, the cash was re‑inserted into the formal financial system, obscuring its illicit origin.