Crisis at Brazilian Supreme Court: Alexandre de Moraes investigated after revelation of messages with imprisoned banker
Brazil's Supreme Court faces the greatest crisis in its history following the disclosure of messages between judge Alexandre de Moraes and Daniel Vorcaro, owner of Banco Master imprisoned for fraud and corruption.
Extraordinary session at Supreme Court places Moraes at centre of Brazilian tribunal's greatest crisis
Brazil's Supreme Court (STF) holds an extraordinary session on Tuesday at 10:00 Brasília time (14:00 Lisbon time) to vote on a request to open an investigation against judge Alexandre de Moraes. According to reporting by sicnoticias.pt, the crisis began in early September when judge André Mendonça unsealed a Federal Police report that identified messages between Moraes and Daniel Vorcaro, owner of Banco Master, imprisoned for fraud and corruption.
The session is surrounded by internal disputes and uncertainties. Mendonça's allies are orchestrating a strategy to pressure the tribunal to vote in favour of the investigation, whilst Moraes's allies may attempt to block the proceedings to avoid an unfavourable outcome. The episode occurs less than a month before the first round of Brazilian presidential elections, which are expected to be as hotly contested as those of 2022.
The report that shook the judiciary
Mendonça's decision to unseal the report landed like a bombshell in Brazilian politics. The document demonstrated an alleged proximity between the magistrate and the banker. Since the previous year, suspicions about this relationship had already existed: newspaper O Globo had revealed that the law firm of Alexandre de Moraes's wife maintained a contract with Banco Master valued at 131 million reais — approximately 22 million euros — a figure considered above market rates. Moraes has always denied any irregularities.
The Federal Police report revealed, however, that the judge himself had even edited this contract. The law firm explained to Folha de São Paulo that this was standard procedure to avoid conflicts of interest. The text messages disclosed, however, had greater public impact.
Messages compromise banker and raise suspicions about Moraes
According to the Federal Police, Daniel Vorcaro demonstrated at various moments that he had knowledge of ongoing investigations against him and expressed concern about them. "The problem now is that I had informal and confidential information from the Central Bank crowd, that G [possible reference to Gabriel Galípolo, president of the BC] and the directors are under maximum pressure again for a measure, because Bacen is being heavily pressured by the PF and MP, claiming they will take action against me", wrote the banker on 30 October 2025.
Subsequently, Vorcaro asked the magistrate to intercede with the national authorities: "It is important to reinforce with Andrei [possible reference to Andrei Rodrigues, director-general of the Federal Police] and Paulo [possibly Paulo Gonet, attorney-general of the Republic] to not let anyone at lower levels do something underhand."
Federal Police investigations indicate that some Central Bank directors received payments to provide information to the banker. Vorcaro also had early access to secret actions by the Public Ministry related to the institution.
Other passages obtained by the Federal Police suggest that Moraes would have sent confidential information to Vorcaro. Two days before being detained for the first time, the banker asked: "Do you think I'll need to be out already by Monday?". Later, already at the airport awaiting departure from the country to avoid arrest, he questioned: "Any news? Could you get information or block it?".
Confrontation between magistrates and internal war at tribunal
Even before the report's disclosure, the case was already generating discomfort within the STF. On 31 August, according to the Metrópoles portal, Moraes requested a meeting with Mendonça in which he questioned the fact that he was being investigated, a meeting that resulted in an intense discussion between the two.
Mendonça's decision was also received with discomfort by the Federal Police. According to Folha de São Paulo, the determination was presented as a surprise during an internal meeting and generated concern that the investigation into authorities could cause evidence to be ruled inadmissible. There were also those who considered that the judge was assuming a role that should belong to the Federal Police itself.
A Supreme Court judge can only be investigated with the approval of the institution's plenary — something that did not occur before the order to produce the report. On this basis, Paulo Gonet, attorney-general of the Republic, requested the nullification of the document. Alfredo Attié, president of the São Paulo Academy of Law, consulted by CNN Portugal, agrees with the position of the attorney-general's office and sees "serious errors" in Mendonça's actions.
Gonet also appears in the messages
The attorney-general of the Republic himself appears in the messages disclosed by Mendonça. According to the Federal Police, Gonet would have stated that he "missed" Vorcaro and travelled to London with expenses paid by Banco Master for a whisky tasting.
Moraes retaliates through Fake News inquiry
Two days after the disclosure of the messages, Alexandre de Moraes acted to counter-attack. Through the Fake News inquiry — a proceeding opened in 2019 to investigate the disclosure of false information against members of the STF, at the time under his responsibility — the magistrate accused Mendonça of abuse of authority and of favouring certain political groups, requesting the opening of an investigation to clarify the situations.
To substantiate the decision, Moraes used Federal Police reports that indicated that Mendonça made different decisions depending on who was targeted. The document itself notes, in several points, that it has no evidentiary value.
Subsequently, Folha de São Paulo reported that the aforementioned reports had been produced irregularly, adding another chapter to a crisis that is paralyzing the principal body of the Brazilian judiciary weeks before one of the most decisive presidential elections of recent years.
Source: Google News PT — Crime (pt)