The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday announced sanctions against Diego Macedo Gonçalves do Carmo, a member of the First Capital Command (PCC), which the department described as “the most powerful organized crime group in Brazil and among the most powerful in the world.”
Mr. Gonçalves, better known in Brazil by the nickname “Brahma,” is serving an eight-year prison sentence in the city of Porto Velho, in the Amazonian state of Rondônia. The verdict, handed down in late 2022, says Mr. Gonçalves is responsible for laundering BRL 1.2 billion (USD 240 million) for the PCC.
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement that “although incarcerated, [Mr.] Gonçalves remains active in PCC affairs, issuing instructions from behind bars.” Operating from inside jail is a hallmark of the PCC, and the criminal group is famous for having been founded inside a prison.
According to the sanctions, any property of Mr. Gonçalves in the U.S. or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The department added that the move “would not have been possible without the cooperation of Brazilian law enforcement authorities.” The U.S. government has previously sanctioned other members of the PCC.
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