Ultrafarma case: Farm departs 6 more inspectors on suspicion of connection with bribes

The governor of São Paulo Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) had six more tax auditors from the Treasury Secretariat under suspected connection with fraud in the ‘accelerated’ release of ICMS-ST, a scheme that would have led to the collection of R $ 1 billion in retail giant bribes, such as Ultrafarma and Fast Shop.

The farm also decreed seven disciplinary administrative proceedings and opened 20 preliminary findings to investigate the conduct of the servers.

There are already nine state revenue auditors under the investigation of Operation Icarus for anticipated ICMS-ST fraud through bribes.

“In Sao Paulo there will be no room for impunity,” said Tarcisio. “We determine the removal of the servers and we are collaborating with all investigations. The punishment will be strict in all spheres to ensure that each penny returns to the public coffers.”

The governor said that ‘it will not tolerate deviation of conduct.’ “We will remove, investigate, punish and recover the resource, and everyone involved will suffer the consequences,” he said.

The main target of Operation Icarus is the tax auditor Artur Gomes da Silva Neto, alleged ‘head’ of the group that would have articulated the early release scheme of the tax credit. He was arrested.

The inspectors removed on Monday, 25, are: Artur Takefume Hamanaka, Fernando Kenji Iwai, Marcel Ono, Maria Cecilia Record Trentini, Maria da Conceição Rodrigues Fabaro and Selma Laltuf da Costa.

Before, in addition to Arthur, inspectors Alberto Toshio Murakami and Marcelo de Almeida Gouveia were already under investigation.

Samuel Kinoshita supported his decision in the ‘elements that instruct the case, notably in the manifestation of the Tax Inspection (Corfisp) Office’.

The secretary accentuates in his act, published in the Official Gazette on Monday, 25, the need for a ‘definitive investigation of the occurrence, in theory, of disciplinary offenses regarding the alleged violation of functional secrecy’.

Disciplinary proceedings may give rise to the application to the dismissal and dismissal group for public service. Kinoshita also referred to the appointment of the special processing committees, as proposed by the Corregedoria.

Arthur was arrested in Operation Icarus, launched two weeks ago by the Farm Corregedoria and the State Prosecutor. He asked for dismissal. On Friday, 22, the farm welcomed the request and dismissed the inspector, but this did not deliver him from disciplinary process.

The Bandeirantes Palace reported that ‘measures are a response to the preliminary investigations of the farm under Operation Icarus, which investigates irregularities related to the compensation of ICMS-ST.’

“The works also include the opening of 20 other preliminary findings aimed at the analysis of the equity evolution and the verification of evidence of irregularities,” says the government note.

The farm had already revoked CAT Ordinance No. 42/2018, which regulates the complement and return procedures of the ICMS, and Decree No. 67.853/2023, which provided for the ‘accelerated appropriation’ of the tax credit.

From now on, all requests for reimbursement will comply with tax audit until the completion of the review of all protocols.

“A working group, instituted on the 15th, conducts the revision of the rules of compliance and the restructuring of the reimbursement process, including the use of technological solutions and the automated intersection of information, in order to reinforce integrity and transparency”, points out the government.