Lula Says He Asked Trump to Detain Miami-Based Figure Linked to Refit Probe

Overview

• During a Dec. 9 speech, Lula said that in a Dec. 2 call he urged President Donald Trump to help by detaining “one of the big bosses of organized crime” who lives in Miami.
• Lula did not name the person, but Brazilian outlets report he was referring to businessman Ricardo Magro, owner of Grupo Refit.
• The government says it forwarded Receita Federal materials in English after the call, and officials say the U.S. embassy will issue a formal response.
• Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said the United States will present a cooperation proposal as authorities investigate financing networks, including funds based abroad.
• Grupo Refit faces ongoing actions such as the Federal Police’s Operation Poço de Lobato, ship seizures by Receita, and an ANP interdiction upheld in court, while investigators allege massive tax fraud and Refit denies evasion and contests tax claims.