BRASILIA — Justice Andre Mendonca released a report showing alleged links between Justice Alexandre de Moraes and banker Daniel Vorcaro. Justice Alexandre de Moraes accused Justice Andre Mendonca of abusing his authority by unsealing documents.

Chief Justice Edson Fachin stated he would give Brazil’s attorney general five days to weigh the allegations against Justice Andre Mendonca. This procedural step precedes the broader decision on whether to open an inquiry into Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes oversaw the case that convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro. Former President Bolsonaro received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup.

Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest. Prosecutors say Bolsonaro and his far-right allies sought to subvert the 2022 election results and derail the transition of power.

An attack on key government buildings in Brasilia occurred on January 8, 2023, led by Bolsonaro supporters. In November 2024, Brazil’s federal police recommended charges be brought against Bolsonaro and a group of his key allies.

Bolsonaro has portrayed the case against him as a "witch hunt" orchestrated by the left. United States President Donald Trump has supported Bolsonaro.

The US Treasury Department briefly sanctioned Justice Alexandre de Moraes for his involvement in the Bolsonaro trial and his suspensions of online platforms Rumble and X. Justice Alexandre de Moraes was appointed to the Supreme Court under the presidency of Michel Temer.

Justice Andre Mendonca is a Bolsonaro appointee to the Supreme Court. Current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will face Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the presidential election.

The Intercept Brasil published messages reportedly between Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and Daniel Vorcaro earlier this year. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro was petitioning Daniel Vorcaro for funding for a film about his father, Bolsonaro.

Daniel Vorcaro reportedly pledged millions of dollars to back the film project about Bolsonaro. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing regarding his connection to Daniel Vorcaro, calling it a private project.

Why It Matters

The Brazilian Supreme Court is considering investigations into two justices who have accused each other of wrongdoing. The outcome will determine whether Justice Alexandre de Moraes faces formal scrutiny over his contacts with a fraud-accused banker.

The case intersects with ongoing political tensions involving former President Bolsonaro and his allies. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is set to face current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the presidential election, has called for changes in leadership.

What's New

Unsealed documents show Justice Alexandre de Moraes checked a contract between Daniel Vorcaro and his wife, Viviane Barci de Moraes, worth 130 million Brazilian reais (about $26 million). Federal police documents show Daniel Vorcaro sent dozens of messages to Justice Alexandre de Moraes in the lead-up to his arrest, including attempts to obtain information about the investigation into Banco Master and asking for advice on whether he should leave the country.

Brazilian daily O Globo reported that Daniel Vorcaro provided airplanes, helicopters, and credit cards to Justice Alexandre de Moraes and his family. Lawyers for Viviane Barci de Moraes stated that Justice Alexandre de Moraes checked the contract to ensure there was no conflict of interest with his position and that he never ruled on cases involving Banco Master or Daniel Vorcaro.

Daniel Vorcaro is Brazilian banker and economist. Research titled "Jair Bolsonaro and the uncertain future of Brazilian cinema" was published in 2018.

Research titled "The visit of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Russian Federation" was published in 2022 in Latinskaia Amerika. A study titled "Complicity and Synergy Between Bolsonaro and Brazilian Evangelicals in COVID-19 Times: Adherence to Scientific Negationism for Political-Religious Reasons" was published in 2020 in International Journal of Latin American Religions.