A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has unsealed an investigation into the production of a film about former President Jair Bolsonaro, citing suspicions that the movie’s financing may have ties to a criminal network. The probe could impact Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president's eldest son, who is running in upcoming national elections.
Senator Bolsonaro is currently under investigation for corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion, with allegations that he received millions of dollars from a disgraced banker to finance the biopic, titled “Dark Horse.” Justice Flávio Dino, who is overseeing one of the investigations into the film, indicated that the hypothesis of a sophisticated scheme involving the diversion of public funds through congressional budget amendments and the São Paulo city government has been strengthened.
Earlier this week, Brazil's federal police targeted federal lawmaker Mário Frias, an ally of Jair Bolsonaro, in an operation. Police seized documents from the film's production company and from Frias, who allegedly transferred approximately 2 million reais ($400,000) to a nonprofit connected to the film. Authorities suspect a criminal organization channeled funds to companies that were irregularly subcontracted without proof that services were rendered.
Justice Dino stated that there are strong indications Frias, who held a cabinet position during Bolsonaro's presidency, played a central role in the alleged criminal network. The network may also have connections to the First Command of the Capital (PCC), a criminal organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Frias has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he never allocated congressional budget funds to finance the film and previously described the police operation as a "smoke screen."
The Brazilian Supreme Court has recently faced internal turmoil, with allegations of corruption, political bias, and police interference affecting some of its members. This has led to clashes between justices, including Justice Dino and Justice André Mendonca, who was appointed by Bolsonaro. The disputes have involved the removal and reinstatement of senior federal police officials, with Chief-Justice Edson Fachin intervening to suspend conflicting decisions.
This judicial chaos appears to stem from the collapse of Banco Master, a bank with significant assets that was shut down last November following an investigation into a large-scale fraud scheme. The former CEO of Banco Master, Daniel Vorcaro, was arrested earlier this year. Investigations have revealed links between Vorcaro and numerous high-ranking politicians, including Senator Bolsonaro, as well as several Supreme Court justices. Alexandre de Moraes, a justice involved in these proceedings, oversaw the case in which Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup.