Rodrigo Cataratas and Alexandre Ramagem investigation

Investigations by the Brazilian Federal Police and investigative journalism groups have uncovered links between Rodrigo Martins de Mello, known as Rodrigo Cataratas, and former Brazilian Intelligence Agency director Alexandre Ramagem in the United States.

Federal Police revealed that the family of Cataratas—who was sentenced to over 16 years in prison for leading illegal mining operations in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory—provided material support, housing, and documentation to Ramagem in Florida. Ramagem had previously been sentenced by the Supreme Federal Court to 16 years in prison for his role in an attempted coup d'état.

Subsequent investigations by Agência Pública and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) found that Cataratas, a fugitive from Brazilian justice, has maintained a discreet life in the United States while managing various business interests in Florida, including yacht rentals and e-commerce. While Cataratas maintains a social media presence in Brazil, his request for habeas corpus was denied by Minister Cármen Lúcia as his current whereabouts remain unknown to authorities.