Rio de Janeiro tax authority blocks Grupo Refit's state registrations

The Rio de Janeiro State Treasury (Sefaz‑RJ) has halted the registration of state tax inscriptions for companies of the Grupo Refit conglomerate. The action follows the Federal Revenue Service's suspension of the group’s CNPJs due to alleged tax irregularities uncovered after the Federal Police’s Operation Sem Refino, which investigates schemes of asset concealment and tax evasion.

The blockage prevents the companies from issuing fiscal invoices or purchasing goods, effectively grounding the operations of the group's refinery in Rio and disrupting the local fuel distribution chain. The move also threatens downstream costs for the agribusiness sector, which relies on diesel for harvesting and logistics. Grupo Refit is reported as the country's largest chronic tax debtor, with debts exceeding R$ 26 billion nationwide and R$ 9.4 billion within Rio de Janeiro alone. Legal challenges and administrative appeals are expected as the group has not yet responded publicly.