Business · Companies · 1 day ago
Brazilian court makes 12 former Americanas executives defendants
A federal court in Rio de Janeiro accepted criminal charges against 12 former Americanas executives accused of involvement in a large fraud.
The case follows accounting inconsistencies the retailer disclosed in January 2023.
Prosecutors say the alleged fraud contributed to Americanas seeking court protection from creditors, with billions of reais in debt.
The company says it was the victim of deliberate, structured fraud by former executives and says it trusts the authorities to hold those responsible to account.
The charges stem from a 2025 complaint by federal prosecutors; one of the 13 people originally accused later made a cooperation deal.
The 12 are now formally defendants, but the court has not determined their guilt.
The criminal case is being heard behind closed doors, and the company says it has not seen the court’s decision.
A federal court in Rio de Janeiro accepted a prosecutor’s complaint and made 12 former Americanas executives defendants in a criminal case over alleged fraud.
The complaint was filed by Brazil’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in 2025 and accepted by the court’s 6th Federal Criminal Court.
The case follows accounting inconsistencies disclosed by the retailer in January 2023.
Americanas said it was the victim of a structured, deliberate fraud by former executives.
The company said it had not seen the court decision and trusted the authorities to hold those responsible accountable.
- Who
- Twelve former Americanas executives became defendants.
- What
- A federal court accepted a criminal complaint alleging their involvement in fraud.
- When
- The complaint was accepted in October 2026. It was filed in 2025.
- Where
- The 6th Federal Criminal Court in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Why
- Prosecutors accused the former executives of involvement in a fraud that led Americanas to seek judicial recovery.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Americanas disclosed accounting inconsistencies that led to investigations.
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office filed its complaint against former employees.
The 6th Federal Criminal Court in Rio de Janeiro accepted the complaint and made 12 former executives defendants.
- Defendants
- 12 former Americanas executives
- Court
- 6th Federal Criminal Court in Rio de Janeiro
- Complaint filed
- 2025
- Accounting inconsistencies disclosed
- January 2023
- Case status
- Under judicial secrecy
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What people are saying
Ao longo de anos, ex-executivos manipularam controles internos, registros contábeis e informações relevantes ao mercado, em violação direta aos deveres fiduciários inerentes aos cargos que ocupavam e à legislação do mercado de capitais
A companhia reforça que foi vítima de uma fraude estruturada e de natureza dolosa cometida pelos ex-executivos