A Brazilian businessman with connections to one of Brazil’s most powerful criminal groups, Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), was fatally shot at São Paulo's Guarulhos Airport. Antônio Vinicius Gritzbach, a former PCC member, had recently entered into a plea agreement with local prosecutors, agreeing to disclose information about the gang’s operations. In return, São Paulo prosecutors reportedly offered him a judicial pardon and a reduced sentence for money laundering. However, his cooperation made him a target, and he had received death threats from the gang prior to his death.

Security footage captured the attack, showing two hooded men exiting a vehicle outside the airport terminal armed with sub-machine guns. They opened fire as Gritzbach, who dropped his bag and attempted to flee, was shot multiple times, succumbing to his injuries at the scene. Three bystanders were also injured in the attack, and police quickly responded, deploying officers around the airport and surrounding areas.

Gritzbach, a cryptocurrency specialist, had played a crucial role in the gang’s money-laundering schemes, helping to conceal millions of dollars. His cooperation with law enforcement as part of the plea deal involved not only detailing his own activities but also identifying other PCC members and providing documents to aid ongoing investigations. Brazilian media reports indicated he had once been a central figure in the gang's operation, underscoring the significance of his revelations to the authorities.

The PCC, founded in the early 1990s, has since grown into one of Brazil’s most formidable criminal organizations, involved primarily in international drug trafficking. Known for its extensive reach, the PCC’s influence is not limited to Latin America. In 2022, a Portuguese security report estimated that the group had around 1,000 associates in Lisbon alone, highlighting its transnational presence.

As of 2023, São Paulo's organized crime taskforce estimated that the PCC generates close to $1 billion annually from international cocaine trafficking, cementing its position as a major player in the global drug trade. Gritzbach’s decision to cooperate and break ties with the PCC evidently came at a high personal cost, shedding light on the deadly consequences of defection within criminal networks and the lengths to which organizations like the PCC will go to protect their operations.