Brazil police eye Interpol alert for ex-bank owner linked to Bolsonaro film funding

Brazil's Federal Police (PF) are exploring the possibility of adding Daniel Vorcaro, the former owner of Banco Master, to Interpol's 'silver diffusion' list. This measure aims to identify and potentially block assets that Vorcaro may have moved abroad. Vorcaro is the central figure in "Operation Compliance Zero," which is investigating alleged multi-billion dollar fraud schemes linked to Banco Master.

The strategy, if approved by the Attorney General's Office (PGR) and the Supreme Court (STF), along with U.S. authorities, involves tracing funds Vorcaro allegedly sent to the United States. These funds are suspected of being used to finance the film 'Dark Horse,' which chronicles the trajectory of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Reports indicate Vorcaro may have remitted approximately R$ 60 million to a U.S.-based fund controlled by an attorney connected to Eduardo Bolsonaro, who resides in the U.S.

Vorcaro has been negotiating a plea deal with authorities for about three months, though initial attempts were unsuccessful. He has reportedly told his lawyers that payments made to politicians were out of "friendship" and without expectation of return. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), a potential presidential candidate, is said to have acted as an intermediary for some of these remittances to the U.S. intended for the 'Dark Horse' film.

The head of the Federal Police, Andrei Rodrigues, considers it important to open a separate inquiry to determine if the money sent by Vorcaro to the U.S. was indeed used to fund the film about Bolsonaro. The decision to include Vorcaro in Interpol's silver diffusion list is pending a statement from the PGR and a ruling from the STF on which minister will oversee the measure. The case could be assigned to Minister André Mendonça, the rapporteur for Compliance Zero, or Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who is handling investigations involving Eduardo Bolsonaro.