São Paulo Fines Fast Shop R$1.04 Billion in Record Anti-Corruption Sanction

Overview

• São Paulo’s state watchdog, which published the decision Monday in the Official Gazette, imposed a R$1.04 billion penalty that officials say is the largest under Brazil’s Anti-Corruption Law.
• Investigators say Fast Shop hired Smart Tax, run by ex-auditor Artur Gomes da Silva Neto, to use the retailer’s digital certificate and inside access to mine tax data and inflate or speed approval of ICMS credits, producing R$1.04 billion in improper credits out of R$1.59 billion reviewed.
• Prosecutors report R$422 million in bribes tied to the scheme, and two partners plus a director signed September 2025 agreements admitting the conduct and accepting roughly R$100 million in penalties.
• The company has 30 days to pay the full amount with no installments and must publish the conviction in a major newspaper.
• Authorities say more cases are advancing, with probes into about 50 companies, 61 administrative actions open, several tax officials already dismissed or exonerated, and plans to hire 200 auditors to strengthen oversight.