Operation Without Refining investigates fuel conglomerate suspected of hiding assets and evading resources abroad
The Federal Police cell phone and tablet at the residence of the former governor of Rio de Janeiro, (PL), this Friday (May 15, 2026). The action was part of the operation which investigates an economic conglomerate in the fuel sector suspected of using corporate and financial structure to hide assets, conceal assets and evade resources abroad.
PF agents were at the condominium where Cláudio Castro lives, located in Barra da Tijuca, in Rio. The search and seizure warrant was authorized by Federal Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes.
Castro was at his residence at the time of the operation. He followed the searches alongside his lawyers. The former governor’s defense claims that she was surprised and has not yet become aware of the subject of the search and seizure request.
In a statement, the defense said that the procedures practiced during Castro’s administration “complied with the technical and legal criteria provided for in current legislation“. He stated that the former governor is available to the courts to provide all explanations.
The PF executed 17 search and seizure warrants in 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and the Federal District. 7 removal measures from public service were applied.
INVESTIGATION
Federal Police investigations investigate possible tax fraud, asset concealment and inconsistencies related to the operation of a refinery linked to the business group. The company under investigation is Refit, formerly known as Refinaria de Manguinhos.
The court ordered the blocking of R$52 billion in financial assets. The suspension of the economic activities of the investigated companies was ordered.
In addition to Cláudio Castro, businessman Ricardo Magro, owner of Refit, was the target of the operation. The Federal Police requested the inclusion of Magro’s name in Interpol’s Red Diffusion, a list that brings together the most wanted in the world.
The retired judge Guaraci Vianna and the former prosecutor Renan Saad are also among the targets of operation Sem Refino.
According to a note from Castro’s defense, the former governor’s administration “was the only one to get the Manguinhos Refinery to pay debts to the State, which reinforces the ex-governor’s impartial and institutional stance”.
REFIT
Ricardo Magro has led Refit since acquiring the Rio de Janeiro refinery in 2008. The businessman already worked in the fuel sector through the Tigrão gas station network.
Refit is known by Finance departments throughout Brazil as “contumacious debtor”. The term designates companies that repeatedly fail to pay taxes.
Under Magro’s management, Refit was the target of police operations. The refinery was closed by the ANP (National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels) in September and October 2025.
The Refit Group was the target of an investigation in 2010 into the fuel mafia in Rio de Janeiro. At the time, there was a suspicion of a tax maneuver at the refinery to import gasoline without paying taxes and selling it to distributors.
The Manguinhos refinery lost refining as its main activity. It was classified by the State Finance Department as a fuel distributor.
In 2025, the company was the target of the Hidden Carbon operation, which investigates the supply of fuel to distributors linked to the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital).
In November, Refit was the target of yet another operation, the . It was being investigated on suspicions of tax evasion, structured fraud and concealment of assets that may have caused a loss of more than R$26 billion to public coffers.
O Poder360 He contacted Refit’s advisors to ask if he would like to comment on the operation. There was no response until the publication of this report. The text will be updated if a statement is sent to this digital newspaper.
Here is Cláudio Castro’s defense note in full:
“The defense of the former governor of Rio Claudio Castro claims that he was surprised by today’s operation and that he has not yet become aware of the subject of the search and seizure request. However, Castro is at the disposal of Justice to give all the explanations, convinced of his integrity.
“All procedures carried out during his management complied with the technical and legal criteria set out in current legislation, including those related to the State’s tax incentive policy, which follow specific standards, technical analyzes and deliberations by the competent bodies.
“It is extremely important to highlight that the Cláudio Castro administration was the only one to get the Manguinhos Refinery to pay debts to the state, which reinforces the ex-governor’s impartial and institutional stance. In total, management managed to guarantee the payment of installments amounting to approximately R$1 billion.
“Currently, installment payments are suspended due to a decision by the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro in an appeal.
“Throughout the administration, the PGE (State Attorney General’s Office) filed numerous lawsuits against Refit, which demonstrates that the Attorney General’s Office has always acted to ensure that the company pays what it owes to the State.do.”
