WASHINGTON-Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Brazilian nationals, three Brazilian companies, and one Portuguese company for their links to Latin America’s largest criminal gang, Brazil-based Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC). PCC represents a significant threat to U.S. national security, as its operatives throughout the United States, particularly in Florida, launder drug proceeds and contribute to a cycle of criminality.
PCC is now the largest transnational criminal organization (TCO) in the Western Hemisphere, and in recent years has expanded its operations globally, with significant presence in countries such as the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Japan. In the United States, PCC represents a real and growing criminal threat. Networks such as the one targeted today engage in drug trafficking, bulk cash smuggling for cartels, and other illicit activities to generate revenue streams for PCC. Recent law enforcement actions by Brazilian authorities revealed a PCC-controlled trade-based money laundering operation utilizing a Chinese electronics distribution network and Chinese e-commerce platform to launder more than $190 million over seven months.
“This designation is another step by the United States government to address and acknowledge the increasing presence of Primeiro Comando da Capital’s illicit revenue generation within our borders,” said Gene Lange, who is performing the duties of the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “Organized crime within the Western Hemisphere must not be allowed to establish operations on American soil that contribute to criminality and lawlessness.”
Today’s action reflects the culmination of a coordinated Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF)-led investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Miami Field Office and the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. OFAC works in close coordination with the HSTFs, which target the proliferation of illicit drugs and the networks, enablers, and financial mechanisms that support their production and distribution. This unified, whole-of-government approach ensures operational coordination to maximize the impact against transnational criminal networks. This action was taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059, which targets the proliferation of illicit drugs and their means of production, as well as E.O. 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists and their supporters.
DOJ AND TREASURY COORDINATE TO DISRUPT A PCC MONEY LAUNDERING NETWORK
The PCC money laundering network targeted in today’s action has operated from two main locations: Florida and São Paulo, Brazil. In January 2026, FBI arrested six members of the Florida-based group who have been indicted on money laundering charges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Today’s OFAC action targets the São Paulo-based node of the network, led by Victor Henrique de Oliveira Shimada (Shimada) and Stella Stefanie Nunes Henrique de Oliveira (Stella).
São Paulo-based Shimada has been a key link between the Florida-based PCC operatives and foreign drug traffickers. Shimada and his organization have laundered more than $30 million in illicit proceeds generated in and around multiple cities in the United States, utilizing cryptocurrency to move funds back to Brazil on behalf of PCC. Shimada has also engaged in other financial crimes beyond the laundering of drug proceeds. In January 2025, Shimada was briefly held under house arrest in Brazil because one of his companies, Victory Trading Intermediacão De Negocios Cobrancas E Tecnologia Ltda (Victory Trading), was used to launder money stolen from a Brazilian soccer club as part of an advertising fraud scheme.
Stella is a close associate and relative of Shimada who has worked as his secretary and served as a broker for bulk cash pickups, providing critical logistical services that have supported Shimada and his network in their laundering operations.
Victor Henrique de Oliveira Shimada is being designated today pursuant to Executive Order 14059 for having provided, or attempted to provide, financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of PCC. Additionally, Shimada is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, PCC.
Stella Stefanie Nunes Henrique de Oliveira is being designated today pursuant to Executive Order 14059 and E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Victor Henrique de Oliveira Shimada.
PREVIOUS OFAC ACTIONS TARGETING PCC
Today marks OFAC’s third action against the PCC and its operatives. On March 14, 2024, OFAC designated Diego Macedo Gonçalves do Carmo pursuant to E.O. 14059 for the significant role he played in laundering significant sums of money for PCC. On December 15, 2021, OFAC designated PCC as an organization pursuant to E.O. 14059 for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production.
AN EXTENSIVE CORPORATE NETWORK CONTROLLED BY PCC
Relying on a network of companies, Shimada is able to evade detection while receiving illicit funds generated in the United States and launder these funds for PCC in Brazil. The companies include Victory Trading, Pixwave Solucoes De Pagamentos Ltda (Pixwave), and Wave Construcoes Inteligentes Ltda (Wave), all based in São Paulo. Victory Trading and Wave are financial services companies; Pixwave is a construction company. Additionally, Shimada owns Avenidas Flutuantes Unipessoal Lda, a transportation and storage company based near Lisbon, Portugal.
Victory Trading Intermediacão De Negocios Cobrancas E Tecnologia Ltda, Pixwave Solucoes De Pagamentos Ltda, Wave Construcoes Inteligentes Ltda, and Avenidas Flutuantes Unipessoal Lda are being designated today pursuant to E.O. 14059 and E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Shimada.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons.
Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. Individuals located in the U.S. or abroad who provide information about sanctions violations to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) whistleblower incentive program may be eligible for awards if the information they provide leads to a successful enforcement action that results in monetary penalties exceeding $1,000,000.
Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions. OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority.