Praised as the largest anti-corruption probe ever launched, Operation Car Wash led to repercussions in several Latin American countries such as the arrests of tycoons and senior politicians, including former presidents, and some of the largest cross-border anti-corruption settlements ever paid. Even so, like Mani pulite in Italy, Operation Car Wash ended in a rather dismal state: several judicial decisions in Brazil were rendered null and void, and some prosecutors are being prosecuted by those convicted of corruption. How was Operation Car Wash dismantled so easily during the pandemic? Is there a legacy or are there lessons to be learned for anti-corruption enforcement?