Questioned former president of Banco Master would have asked a judge of the Supreme Court of Brazil to stop investigations against him

Former president of the defunct Banco Master, Daniel Vorcaro, has reportedly asked Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to halt investigations against him, according to police documents obtained by Brazilian media. The messages, recovered from Vorcaro’s mobile phone, show exchanges between the former banker and the judge, who was part of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF). These communications suggest Vorcaro sought Moraes' intervention to stop inquiries into Banco Master and to advise him on ways to avoid the execution of a preventive detention order issued against him. The messages were uncovered through a document from Brazil’s Federal Police, which accessed screenshots stored on Vorcaro’s phone using a notes application. Because the content was shared via screenshots, investigators have not been able to recover any response from Moraes. According to reports, the first communication occurred on October 30, 2025, when Vorcaro informed Moraes that it was crucial to reinforce the message with Andrei Rodrigues, head of the Federal Police, and Paulo Gonet, Brazil’s attorney general, that “no one below” should commit “any foolish act” regarding Banco Master. At that time, the bank was close to announcing a potential sale to a consortium involving investors from the United Arab Emirates. Vorcaro had already signed a contract worth 131 million Brazilian reais (nearly 22 million euros) with the law firm of Viviane Barci, wife of Moraes, according to Estadão. His requests to Moraes continued until five hours before his arrest at São Paulo’s international airport on November 17. In one message, Vorcaro wrote, “If Andrei can delay this by another week, since it’s a holiday, the bank won’t collapse. Try calling him and persuading him if you think it’s possible.” Two days prior to his arrest, he asked Moraes, “Can’t we reverse this with Paulo or Andrei? It’s outrageous!” According to messages published by Folha de S.Paulo, Vorcaro had requested meetings with Moraes up to three times in the days leading up to his arrest, specifying dates and locations in some instances. One such message read, “At 2 p.m., then. Should I go to your house or yours?” In response to the publication of these messages, Attorney General Paulo Gonet has demanded the annulment of the Federal Police report that includes the exchange. He accused Justice André Mendonça, the judge handling the Banco Master case and also a member of the Supreme Court, of having used the police to “impose the investigation” on his colleague, conducting activities outside his jurisdiction. “It is not the function of a judge to accuse, let alone carry out preliminary investigations,” Gonet stated in a document obtained by Folha. Under Brazilian law, a Supreme Court justice can only be investigated with the authorization of their colleagues on the court. Gonet argued that the report compiled by the Federal Police at Mendonça’s request constitutes an investigation in itself. This situation has raised questions about the boundaries of the relationship between a Supreme Court member and a businessman under investigation. Vorcaro’s legal team has yet to respond publicly to the allegations. Meanwhile, the Federal Police continues its inquiry into Banco Master’s financial irregularities and fraudulent practices. The case has drawn attention due to the high-profile involvement of a Supreme Court justice and the potential implications for judicial independence in Brazil. The messages reveal a complex web of interactions between a private individual and a powerful judicial figure, raising concerns about the influence of personal relationships in legal proceedings. As the investigation unfolds, further details about the nature of the communications and their impact on the ongoing legal processes remain unclear. The Federal Police has confirmed that they will continue to analyze the evidence collected so far and will present additional findings once available.