Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) has ordered the release of MC Ryan SP, MC Poze do Rodo and Raphael Sousa Oliveira, founder of the Choquei social media page, in a high-profile investigation linked to illegal betting and money laundering.
The three were arrested on 15 April as part of Operation Narco Fluxo, a Federal Police probe into an alleged BR1.6bn scheme involving illegal betting platforms, clandestine raffles, shell companies, crypto transactions and international fund transfers.
In his ruling, Justice Messod Azulay Neto deemed the 30-day temporary detention order unlawful. According to the decision, Federal Police had originally requested a detention period of only five days, which had already expired at the time of the ruling.
The defence argued that the arrests were procedurally flawed, with lawyer Felipe Cassimiro stating that the decision recognized the “illegality” of the detentions and required their immediate revocation.
Despite the release order, the case remains active. Shortly after the decision, Federal Police filed a request for preventive detention of the same individuals, arguing that continued custody is necessary to guarantee public order given the scale of the alleged operation and the volume of financial transactions involved.
According to investigators, the operation relied on digital platforms and influencer networks to promote illegal betting and raffle schemes, while using layered financial structures to obscure the origin and destination of funds.
The STJ decision does not address the merits of the allegations, focusing instead on procedural aspects of the detention order. The outcome of the Federal Police request for preventive custody will determine whether the suspects remain free while investigations continue.
33 arrest warrants and 45 search operations were executed as part of the ongoing investigation
