PCC Money Laundering Operation Targets São Paulo Bus Company and Council Member

Authorities arrested a São Paulo city councilor and targeted executives of the Viação Transunião bus company on June 25, 2026, for allegedly laundering money for the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC). The investigation, reported by G1 and UOL, reveals a system of “straw men” and an informal board used to conceal criminal assets within the public transport sector.

The operation focused on the leadership of Viação Transunião to dismantle a financial pipeline used by the PCC, according to G1. Police arrested a city councilor from the Workers’ Party (PT) as part of the crackdown, as reported by Terra and UOL.

How did the Viação Transunião laundering scheme operate?

The criminal organization used a combination of “laranjas”—straw men used to hide the true ownership of assets—and an informal management structure to operate the bus company, according to an investigation detailed by G1. This structure allowed the PCC to integrate illicit funds into the legal economy through the company’s daily operations.

The informal board functioned as the actual decision-making body, while the official documentation listed individuals who had no real control over the business, G1 reports. This method is a common tactic in money laundering to distance the criminal leadership from the legal entity being used to clean the money.

Which political and public figures are implicated?

A city councilor from the PT was arrested on June 25, 2026, due to suspected ties to the bus company and its links to the PCC, according to reports from Terra and UOL. The investigation suggests the councilor served as a link between the criminal organization and the corporate entity.

Beyond the political sphere, Estadão reports that the scheme involves Deolane Bezerra. The outlet links her to a broader network that connects the PCC, the PT councilor, and international criminal elements.

What are the links to international organized crime?

The investigation has expanded beyond domestic crime to include international connections. According to Estadão, the laundering scheme involving Viação Transunião and the PCC also incorporates the Italian mafia.

This connection suggests a strategic alliance between the Brazilian gang and European organized crime groups to move capital across borders, though specific details on the nature of the Italian mafia’s role remain under investigation, according to the same source.

The reporting across outlets shows a difference in focus: G1 emphasizes the corporate mechanisms of the “informal board” and straw men, while Estadão frames the event as part of a larger, transnational criminal network. UOL and Terra focus primarily on the legal status of the arrested councilor.

Legal proceedings are ongoing to determine the full extent of the laundered funds and the specific roles of the arrested individuals within the PCC’s financial hierarchy.