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Investigated by the Police, the Businessman Owner of Mojitrucks is Accused of Removing 51 Trucks from a Dealership, Reselling Them Without Documentation, Paralyzing Fleets, Ruining the Finances of Retailers and Drivers, and Spreading a Million-Dollar Scam in the Interior of São Paulo and in Other States in One of the Largest Transport Markets.
The businessman André Hengles de Oliveira Silva, identified as the owner of Mojitrucks, is accused of executing what victims and police describe as one of the largest recent scams in Brazilian road transport. Approximately 51 diverted trucks, estimated losses of up to R$ 200 million, stopped fleets, and dozens of buyers unable to operate summarize the trail of damage left by the investigated operations.
Behind the numbers are stories of truck drivers, retailers, and transport company owners who trusted in deals closed in the so-called verbal agreement, a common practice in the buying and selling of used trucks. Now, many of them display lots full of vehicles valued at hundreds of thousands of reais, but with theft complaints filed, documents blocked, and the real prospect of being left without both the asset and the money.
From Truck Driver to Businessman Surrounded by Luxury and Influence
For years, the used truck sector saw André Hengles as a rising businessman, who started as a salesman at a dealership and then opened his own resale structure, Mojitrucks.
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In a short time, the company expanded its presence, opened more stores in São Paulo, invested in aggressive advertising, and even sponsored truck races, which helped reinforce the image of solidity and financial power.
Accounts from former employees and customers show that he got close to millionaire businessmen, offered access to high-value trucks, and exhibited a lifestyle consistent with this narrative:
luxurious wedding, moving to a high-end condo in Mogi das Cruzes, and behaving as a business host, complete with helicopter and private jet available for guests at industry events. This scenario reinforced the confidence of those who now see themselves as victims.
The Verbal Agreement That Became a Deficit of R$ 2.3 Million
In Sumaré, in the interior of São Paulo, the retailer Gilberto Galdino illustrates the impact of the operation.
A former truck driver, he built his wealth over decades, set up a store for buying and selling used trucks, and recently fulfilled his dream of buying a property with thousands of coffee trees.
The profit from the first harvest was reinvested in the business: six semi-new trucks, paid in cash, totaling R$ 2.3 million.
The deal was made based on trust in the intermediary with whom he had negotiated for over 20 years, who had started working within Mojitrucks’ structure.
Without requiring the immediate transfer of documents, a common practice in long-standing relationships in the segment, Gilberto handed over all the capital.
Today, he has trucks in the lot valued at around R$ 450 thousand each but without documents, with police restrictions, and without any guarantee of regularization.
How the Scheme with 51 Trucks Was Set Up
According to police reports and accounts gathered by law enforcement, the core of the scam allegedly began in the relationship between Mojitrucks and a large truck dealership in São Paulo.
With no space in its own yard, the dealership authorized part of the vehicles to be stored in an area controlled by the investigating businessman’s company.
From there, according to suspicions, dozens of trucks were removed and resold by Mojitrucks to retailers and transport companies in different cities, without the proper transfer of ownership.
The dealership claims it never received payment for those units and officially reported the disappearance of 51 trucks from its inventory.
The vehicles ended up in the hands of third parties, who paid in full and now find out that the asset is reported as stolen.
Stopped Fleets, Fulfilled Contracts, and a Ripple Effect of Losses
One emblematic case is that of the transport company owner Vladimir, in Mogi das Cruzes.
He acquired three large trucks, trusting in the reputation of the businessman and the history of previous transactions.
Only one vehicle had regular documentation. The other two, also linked to the lot removed from the dealership, have theft records and cannot leave the yard.
Vladimir estimates that he spent R$ 650 thousand on the two trucks that have been sitting idle for months, in addition to lost income, which he estimates at around R$ 250 thousand per month, not to mention the drivers left without work.
Similar situations are repeating in other companies: immobilized trucks, broken contracts, canceled routes, and financing still being charged, even with the asset unable to operate.
Internal Suspicions, Police Investigation, and a Trail of Fraud
Given the scale of the case, the very dealership that had the 51 trucks diverted initiated an internal investigation and notified the police.
A commercial director of the company, the same one who signed the police report, was suspended from duty while investigations are ongoing.
The police are also investigating whether there was staff involvement in the irregular exit of the vehicles.
The State Department of Criminal Investigations (Deic) has already received at least 18 formal complaints related to the scheme.
The investigations aim to map who allowed the exit of the trucks, under what conditions the deals were made with Mojitrucks, and which assets can still be traced for possible judicial blocking.
Experts consulted by the victims warn that some of the losses may be irrecoverable, especially where the vehicles have already been resold or altered.
Businessman Disappears, Victims Organize, and Talk About “Theft”
After the wedding and the move to the luxury condo, the last known movement of the businessman was a honeymoon trip abroad.
Since then, clients, lawyers, and journalists have reported difficulty in locating him. Mojitrucks has downsized operations, and official channels are not responding to inquiries.
Meanwhile, retailers like Gilberto and transporters like Vladimir are mobilizing to try to recover the trucks or at least prevent new sales involving the affected vehicles.
In interviews, they describe the episode as a “theft” against workers who took decades to build their wealth.
The perception among the victims is that the case exposes a serious gap in control over dealership inventories, property records, and oversight of large operations with heavy vehicles.
Debate Over Trust, Regulation, and Protection for Small Transporters
The case raises an uncomfortable debate in a segment traditionally guided by personal relationships and quick negotiations.
The trust-based model, built on the “verbal agreement” and direct negotiation with the businessman who presents himself as a reliable intermediary, revealed, in this episode, its most vulnerable side.
In a market where a single truck can represent a family home or the entire capital of a small business, the lack of additional safeguards proves devastating.
Transport and asset security specialists advocate for complete digitalization of the stages of buying, selling, and transferring trucks, with automatic blocks for vehicles leaving inventories without registered invoices, as well as faster mechanisms for communicating suspicions among vehicle registration authorities, dealerships, banks, and insurance companies.
For the victims, however, the discussion comes too late: the priority now is to try to save what remains of the businesses and prevent new cases of a similar nature from arising in the sector.
For you, who is following the case: should high-value businesses in transportation continue to be based on personal trust, or do they need stricter rules and mandatory digital controls to protect small business owners and drivers?
Esse negócio de confiança,no fio do bigode, hoje com muitos **** na praça o melhor e documentos assinados.
Sabem porque falam que fazem negócios no fio do bigode? É porque os garagistas não querem transferir o caminhão para o nome deles. Se o fizerem tem os custos da transferência e depois tem de declarar e pagar IR. Dessa maneira eles transferem o veículo do vendedor para o comprador tiram seu lucro e nao pagam impostos. Mas uma hora dá ruim.