São Paulo City Hall terminates R$ 157 million contract with NGO linked to "Dark Horse" film
São Paulo City Hall has ended its contract with the ICB, an NGO under investigation for financial irregularities and linked to the production company behind a film about Bolsonaro.
Free internet contract in São Paulo is terminated following fraud investigations
São Paulo City Hall has terminated a R$ 157.1 million contract with the Instituto Conhecer Brasil (ICB), the entity responsible for implementing and operating free internet access points in communities across the São Paulo capital, reports cnnbrasil.com.br.
The ICB is headed by businesswoman Karina Ferreira da Gama, owner of production company Go Up Entertainment, which produced the film "Dark Horse" — a documentary about the trajectory of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
Contract history
The agreement was signed in 2024, with an original value of R$ 108 million, and provided for the installation of 5,000 internet access points under the Wi-Fi Livre programme. In June 2025, an amendment extended the partnership for six months and reduced the target from 5,000 to 3,200 points. Subsequently, the city hall authorised a further 12-month extension, adding R$ 49.18 million to the contract — bringing the total to R$ 157.1 million.
Investigations and alleged irregularities
The partnership became the subject of investigations into suspicions of irregularities both in the contracting process and in service delivery. Minister Flávio Dino of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) determined that the investigation should be centralised with the Federal Police, under the Court's supervision.
The decision came after connections were identified between the municipal contract and investigations into possible irregularities in the use of parliamentary amendments allocated to the production of "Dark Horse". Dino also ordered the suspension of the participation of investigated entities and companies in public bids and contracts.
São Paulo Civil Police identified, among other findings, four invoices issued by another company, totalling R$ 8.5 million, without the issuance of corresponding tax documents or collection of applicable taxes. The investigation also pointed to cancelled invoices that would have been used in accounts payable and duplicate payments of R$ 925,000.
A technical opinion from the Municipal Secretariat of Innovation and Technology, issued in February 2026, recorded financial irregularities in the organisation and problems with contract execution. In September, the São Paulo Public Prosecutor's Office raised suspicions that resources from the Wi-Fi Livre programme may have been used indirectly to finance the film's production.
Position of the mayor and letter from Karina Ferreira da Gama
Before the termination, mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB) had stated that he would consult the STF to clarify whether Dino's determination applied to partnerships already in progress. In an interview with CNN Brasil on 11 September, Nunes said that the city hall could break the link if necessary to comply with the court decision, warning that the measure could result in the deactivation of the 3,200 internet access points already installed. The mayor also defended the legality of the contract, stating that the process was carried out through a public bid, with oversight from the Municipal Court of Accounts.
On 29 October, before the formal termination, Karina sent a letter to Nunes reporting that the blocking of bank accounts and financial restrictions imposed by the courts had compromised payment of workers linked to the institution. In the document, the ICB president requested support to find a legal alternative that would allow the regularisation of labour obligations and essential payments for the project's continuation.
"I respectfully request Your Excellency's guidance so that we may identify an institutional pathway that allows us to evaluate the regularisation of labour payments and essential obligations related to the project's continuation, including through possible technical and legal engagement with the competent bodies, if applicable," reads an excerpt from the letter.
City hall's official statement
In a statement, the Municipal Secretariat of Innovation and Technology reported that it "has not received, to date, a response from STF minister Flávio Dino to the requests for clarification regarding the WiFi Livre Programme contract made on 14 September and 02 October of this year". The secretariat added that "with the suspension of payments to the ICB since September, by order of the STF itself, it has become unfeasible to continue services and, therefore, the Collaboration Agreement with the social organisation was terminated".
CNN Brasil approached São Paulo City Hall and production company Go Up Entertainment for comment on the contract termination. Neither had responded by the time of publication.
Source: Google News BR — Crime