Overview
- The Juzgado Federal Nº2 de Morón processed Orlando Eduardo Canido and his company Refres Now S.A. for alleged simple evasion of the 2020 Income Tax, a decision signed by Judge Jorge Rodríguez.
- The judge left Canido free while the case advances and set preventive embargoes of 250 million pesos on both Canido and Refres Now to guarantee potential liabilities.
- The case began from a complaint by the Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA) and is recorded in expediente Nº5439/2024, meaning federal prosecutors will continue the criminal inquiry.
- Canido publicly said he bought rival brand Cunnington in cash to prevent a sale to a foreign firm, a claim that has intensified public and regulatory attention on market consolidation in the soft-drinks sector.
- The ruling follows other legal and financial pressures on Manaos and could lead to asset constraints, longer legal proceedings and closer scrutiny of sector deals and tax compliance.