With Support from Binance, São Paulo Authorities Dismantle Cell Phone and Asset Theft Gang
Following the Digital Trail
The operation, dubbed Operation Sleipnir, was led by CyberGaeco, the cybercrime division of São Paulo’s Public Prosecutor’s office. With support from our Special Investigations team using advanced blockchain tracking tools, investigators were able to follow the flow of digital assets and identify the key individuals involved.
On March 19, São Paulo authorities served search and seizure warrants in the city center, recovering approximately BRL 260,000 in cash and crypto assets, along with jewelry, documents, and devices – including phones identified as belonging to victims.
"The proactive support of the Binance team in Brazil was essential," said Lister Caldas Braga Filho, Public Prosecutor of CyberGaeco. "Cooperation between the public and private sectors is key in fighting crime, especially when it involves emerging technologies like blockchain."
“Working with CyberGaeco was seamless – their determination matched ours,” shared Renato Bastos, Binance’s Senior Investigations Specialist for the Americas. “This operation proves that when public and private forces unite, even the most sophisticated criminals can be tracked down.”
Operations like these have contributed to the decline in cryptocurrency transactions related to illicit activities in the last year. This is evidenced by the 2025 Chainalysis report on crypto crime, where the share of crypto addresses linked to illicit activity fell to just 0.14% in 2024, down from 0.61% in 2023.