Lula Says He Urged Trump to Help Arrest Miami-Based Businessman Linked to Refit Probe

Overview

• Lula said he asked U.S. President Donald Trump to assist by detaining a Miami resident he described as a major organized-crime figure and the country’s biggest debtor, without naming him.
• The comments are understood to refer to Ricardo Magro, the Refit owner targeted by recent Brazilian investigations, who was not in Brazil during search-and-seizure actions.
• Before the Dec. 2 call, Lula received a Receita Federal presentation that he had translated into English, which cited about R$72 billion moved in a year through Delaware offshores.
• Authorities say November’s multi-agency operation probing Refit-linked entities estimated up to R$350 million a month in tax fraud, and earlier seizures included ships carrying fuel bound for Manguinhos.
• A São Paulo judge described Magro as a leader of a suspected tax-evasion organization, while Refit denies wrongdoing and says all taxes are declared and any debts are being contested in court.