They know that with me abroad, they cannot advance the process
Em um momento em que o Brasil busca responsabilizar aliados de Bolsonaro por atividades realizadas além de suas fronteiras, a ex-juíza Ludmila Lins Grilo rompeu sua sociedade comercial com o lobista Paulo Figueiredo nos Estados Unidos — um gesto que fala menos de razões pessoais e mais sobre o peso crescente das investigações. A dissolução da Immigrex Global, em abril de 2026, revela como a geografia pode tanto proteger quanto isolar aqueles que escolhem operar à margem da jurisdição de seu país de origem. No espaço entre a lei nacional e a cooperação internacional, figuras como Figueiredo aprenderam a habitar uma zona de relativa impunidade — enquanto o tempo e a diplomacia trabalham em ritmo próprio.
- A pressão sobre aliados bolsonaristas no exterior se intensifica: o Ministério Público Federal formalizou acusações contra Figueiredo por sua suposta participação em operações de desinformação ligadas à tentativa de golpe de 2022.
- Grilo, já afastada compulsoriamente da magistratura pelo CNJ por uso político das redes sociais, cortou abruptamente os laços com Figueiredo em 24 de abril de 2026, alegando motivos pessoais — mas o timing revela o cálculo por trás da decisão.
- Figueiredo permanece nos Estados Unidos, onde a Justiça brasileira não pode notificá-lo diretamente, dependendo de cartas rogatórias e editais em diários oficiais para avançar no processo.
- O governo americano ainda não respondeu formalmente aos pedidos brasileiros de cooperação jurídica, e Figueiredo reconhece publicamente que sua localização no exterior paralisa o andamento do caso contra ele.
- A investigação segue seu curso em câmera lenta, constrangida pela mesma geografia que permitiu a esses atores operar com relativa liberdade — e a saída de Grilo da sociedade não garante que ela escape do alcance do inquérito.
Ludmila Lins Grilo, ex-juíza aposentada compulsoriamente pelo Conselho Nacional de Justiça, anunciou em abril de 2026 o encerramento de sua sociedade com Paulo Figueiredo na Immigrex Global, consultoria de imigração sediada nos Estados Unidos. Grilo vive no país desde 2023 e descreveu a empresa como próspera ao justificar sua saída por razões pessoais. Mas o contexto diz mais do que o comunicado: as investigações sobre aliados de Bolsonaro no exterior se aprofundavam, e Figueiredo havia se tornado figura central em um caso de suposta campanha de desinformação associada à tentativa de golpe de 2022.
O Ministério Público Federal acusa Figueiredo de ter coordenado operações para disseminar informações falsas contra instituições brasileiras. Ele também é apontado como articulador de esforços de lobby junto à ala mais radical da direita americana, em coordenação com Eduardo Bolsonaro. Manter uma sociedade com alguém nessa situação representava risco jurídico crescente para Grilo, cuja própria trajetória já era marcada por polêmica — ela havia sido suspensa nas redes sociais por espalhar desinformação eleitoral antes de ser retirada da magistratura.
A complicação central do caso é geográfica. Figueiredo está nos Estados Unidos, o que impede a Justiça brasileira de notificá-lo pelos meios convencionais. O governo brasileiro aguarda resposta americana a pedidos de cooperação jurídica internacional, enquanto Figueiredo admite, em lives, que sua permanência no exterior paralisa o processo. A Immigrex Global surgiu nesse contexto como negócio e plataforma política simultâneos — e a saída de Grilo sugere que o peso das investigações tornou a associação insustentável, mesmo que suas palavras públicas insistam apenas no sucesso da empreitada. Se o rompimento a protegerá do inquérito mais amplo, ainda está por ser visto.
Ludmila Lins Grilo, a former judge forced into retirement by Brazil's National Council of Justice, announced in late April that she was dissolving her business partnership with Paulo Figueiredo, a prominent Bolsonaro lobbyist. The two had founded Immigrex Global, an immigration consultancy operating out of the United States, where Grilo has lived since 2023. Her departure came abruptly—on April 24, 2026, she severed all ties, citing personal reasons and describing the venture as prosperous and well-established.
The timing of her exit, however, was anything but coincidental. Federal investigators in Brazil have been intensifying their scrutiny of Bolsonaro allies operating abroad, and Figueiredo in particular has become a central figure in a sprawling case involving alleged disinformation campaigns connected to the 2022 coup attempt. The Public Prosecutor's Office has formally charged Figueiredo with orchestrating operations designed to spread false information against Brazilian institutions. Maintaining a business partnership with someone under such investigation carried mounting legal risk—especially for someone like Grilo, whose own judicial history was already marked by controversy.
Figueiredo's position is complicated by geography. He remains in the United States, which means Brazilian authorities cannot simply serve him with formal notification of charges through conventional means. Instead, they must rely on international legal cooperation mechanisms: edicts published in official gazettes and letters rogatory sent through diplomatic channels. The U.S. government has not yet responded to Brazil's request to officially notify Figueiredo of the accusations against him. In a document signed by Rodrigo de Brito Carnevale, Brazil's coordinator for international legal cooperation in criminal matters, the government stated it was requesting updated information from American authorities and would forward any response as soon as it arrived.
Figueiredo himself has acknowledged the complications this creates. In a livestream, he noted that his case has been split into separate proceedings precisely because Brazilian courts cannot move forward against him while he remains outside the country. "They know that with me abroad, they cannot advance the process," he said. The allegation against him centers on his role in what prosecutors describe as a structured apparatus for disseminating disinformation. He is also connected to Eduardo Bolsonaro, a congressman on leave from his seat, with whom he allegedly coordinated lobbying efforts aimed at the more radical elements of the American political right.
Grilo's own trajectory had made her a recognizable figure in radical Bolsonaro circles. She had repeatedly attacked Brazil's electoral system and the Supreme Court on social media, eventually triggering judicial suspensions of her accounts for spreading false information about elections. The National Council of Justice removed her from the bench for political misuse of her social media presence. When she relocated to the United States, she claimed to have contacted international organizations against Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes and suggested she would use Supreme Court decisions as material for actions abroad.
Immigex Global emerged from this context. Figueiredo promoted it during his online broadcasts as a pathway for Brazilians seeking to emigrate, offering to identify the right visa category and facilitate migration. The company appeared designed to serve dual purposes: a legitimate business venture and a platform from which both founders could maintain their political activities and influence. Grilo's departure suggests that the legal pressure surrounding Figueiredo has become too substantial to ignore, even if her statement emphasized only personal motivations and pride in the company's success.
What remains unclear is whether her exit will insulate her from the broader investigation or whether her past association with Figueiredo will continue to draw scrutiny. The case itself hinges on international cooperation mechanisms that are proving slow and uncertain—a reality that Figueiredo has already learned to exploit. As Brazilian authorities wait for American responses to their requests, the investigation into Bolsonaro allies' activities abroad continues to unfold at a measured pace, constrained by the very geography that has allowed these figures to operate with relative freedom.
Citações Notáveis
I left Immigrex for personal reasons on April 24, 2026, by my unilateral decision, and have since divested myself of any duties and obligations.— Ludmila Lins Grilo, in her statement announcing her departure
They know that with me abroad, they cannot advance the process— Paulo Figueiredo, acknowledging how his location in the U.S. complicates Brazilian prosecution
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why would a former judge risk her reputation by going into business with someone already under investigation?
She didn't know he was under investigation when they started. But once the charges came, staying in the partnership became a liability. It's not just about legal exposure—it's about being tainted by association.
So she cut him loose to protect herself?
That's the practical reading. She issued a statement about personal reasons and the company's success, but the timing tells a different story. The moment federal prosecutors moved against Figueiredo, the partnership became a problem.
Can she actually separate herself that cleanly? They founded the company together.
Legally, yes—she can dissolve her stake and walk away. But her name is still attached to the venture's history. Whether that matters depends on what investigators find about what the company actually was.
What was it, then? A real immigration consultancy or a cover?
Probably both. It appears to have done legitimate work. But it also gave Figueiredo a platform and a presence in the U.S., which is useful if you're trying to influence American politics or coordinate with people there.
And Figueiredo just stays in America while all this happens?
For now. He's out of reach of Brazilian courts. The U.S. hasn't even formally notified him of the charges yet. He's essentially in a holding pattern—safe from arrest but unable to move forward with his life normally.
That seems like it could go on indefinitely.
It could. International legal cooperation is slow. And Figueiredo knows it. He's already said publicly that the case is stalled because of his location. He's betting on time and bureaucracy.